Hanoi, VNA - ꩲA national movement aimed at eradicating temporary and dilapidated homes across the country has been launched under the theme "Warm Homes for My Fellows." The initiative is being rapidly implemented with the goal of eliminating poor-quality housing for low-income families by the end of 2025.

Dream of “Safe and Solid Homes”

Last year, the Vietnam Fatherland Front launched a housing project for the disadvantaged in the northern mountain province of Dien Bien, and in just nine months since the launch, 5,000 houses were built for poor households in Dien Bien along with 500 homes for needy families in the provinces of Lai Chau, Son La, Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, and Yen Bai. Built on the success of the project, the national emulation movement on eradicating temporary and dilapidated houses across the country was commenced on April 13 this year in Hoa Binh province and received active response from the entire political system, people and the business community. According to President of the VFF Central Committee Do Van Chien, there remain hundreds of thousands of families living in houses that cannot protect them from rains or wind. "These families all dream of a modest 'safe and solid home,' but this simple dream would remain out of reach without the help of the Party, State, and the generosity of donors," Chien said at the ceremony to appeal for support for the national movement to eradicating temporary and dilapidated homes on October 5.

450 days to build 400,000 new homes

Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed that eliminating temporary and dilapidated housing is one of the most crucial and revolutionary tasks for Vietnam. He noted that the initiative is a major political decision with deep humanitarian significance, aiming to provide stable housing for those affected by natural disasters, climate change, and poverty. Between 2000 and 2023, over 1.7 million houses were built or repaired for the poor and disadvantaged through the efforts of the government, military, police, businesses, and local communities. Despite these achievements, there are still around 400,000 substandard homes across the country.

The campaign to eliminate temporary and dilapidated homes was officially launched on April 13, with the goal of completing the task by 2025. The three key objectives of this nationwide initiative are: providing housing for people with meritorious services to the revolution (about 200,000 units) using state funds; assisting in building homes for low-income households under national target programmes (about 88,000 units); eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses for other vulnerable groups across the country. Not including the houses to be built with state funding and national target programmes, approximately 153,881 substandards houses of other vulnerable groups will need funding of at least 6.5 trillion VND to replace. To meet the 2025 target, Minister Dung recommended that local governments mobilise resources efficiently, dividing areas into four groups: developed, middle-income, difficult, and poor areas so as to provide suitable support to each group. He also suggested that the government allow the use of unspent local and central budgets in 2024, along with social contributions, to address the needs of the most disadvantaged areas. With only about 450 days left to achieve the target, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the nation to unite and accelerate efforts to eliminate substandard housing. He called for all political, social, and business sectors to work together to ensure no one is left behind in the country’s drive for progress and prosperity.