Hanoi is racing to finalize a series of new policies on social welfare, housing, green transportation, low-emission zones and urban development in preparation for the implementation of the Capital Law 2026 on July 1.

Vietnam’s central bank has moved to encourage lending to social housing and industrial parks by relaxing credit growth calculations for participating banks.

A draft regulation under the Capital Law 2026 would allow Hanoi to create a dedicated social housing fund serving social welfare goals and addressing growing urban housing demand.

A bank employee in Hanoi revealed that he earns about VND55 million per month, a relatively high income today. But after many years of working, he still cannot buy a home.

Hanoi plans to break ground on a pilot rental housing project as early as June in what city leaders describe as a major shift away from the traditional mindset of property accumulation toward meeting real housing needs.

Rising property prices in Vietnam are turning the dream of homeownership into an increasingly distant goal for young workers.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has proposed studying rental housing policies lasting 15-20 years or longer as Vietnam seeks to reshape its housing market strategy.

Behind tightly closed corrugated iron fences are "golden" land plots abandoned for many years. Many real estate projects in Hanoi remain "frozen", though land was allocated to investors by the state a decade ago.

Huge demand coupled with scarce supply has led many people to become discouraged and abandon their intentions to purchase social housing in HCMC.

Vietnam has surpassed its social housing construction target by 44%, according to the Ministry of Construction, reflecting strong initial progress in implementing the Government’s housing development agenda for the 2026–2030 period.

Despite collecting a large amount of money from the 20-percent land fund, Hanoi has yet to invest in building social housing at 10 projects where land was allocated.

A government inspection reveals serious gaps in planning and execution, leaving critical housing needs unmet in the capital.

Revised income criteria aim to include more individuals and families previously excluded from social housing support programs.

With an income of about VND40 million per month, a household may need more than a decade to afford a 70 sqm social housing apartment, according to the Ministry of Construction (MOC).

The Ministry of Construction (MOC) has proposed stricter regulations on the buying, selling, and transfer of social housing, allowing resale only to eligible beneficiaries under the policy.

The Government has introduced a consolidated legal framework to accelerate the development of social housing, aiming to expand home ownership opportunities for low-income earners while ensuring greater transparency and efficiency across the sector.

Businesses have proposed that state agencies directly approve social housing buyers from the outset and establish a database of eligible buyers on the VNeID system to reduce risks during the sales process.

A shared database on the VNeID system has been proposed to help authorities verify eligible buyers and streamline procedures, while preventing abuse of Vietnam’s social housing policies.

A family has lived in a social housing apartment for nearly 10 years and their children go to a school just a few hundred meters from home. Their jobs, neighbors and daily routines have all become closely tied to the residential area.