HCM City says no to downtown high-rises

HCM CITY — HCM City plans to cease the construction of highrise apartment buildings in the downtown area while focusing on building apartment complexes along major public transport routes in Districts 2, 9 and Thuû Ñöcù .

In the draft housing development programme of the city for the period of 2016-25, the city would stop high-rise buildings in Districts 1 and 3. In other districts such as Tanâ Bình, Tanâ Phuù and Bình Thanï h, the city would focus on upgrading and completing on-going projects and renovating old apartment buildings, which were built before 1975.

In Districts 2, 7, 9, 12, Thuû Ñöùc and Bình Taân, the city would give priority in developing apartment buildings and complexes along the public transport routes. Social apartment buildings would be in the list of development.

The city would focus on creating a land fund for social housing projects for low-income earners in the period of 2021-25. It would also launch favourable policies to form new residential areas in order to gradually reduce the population in the inner city.

In the period 2016-20, the city will strive to build 20,000 social houses. There would be 35,000 accommodations for workers and 6,750 for students.

From now to 2020, the city will organise bidding for investors, prioritising the implementation of high-rise buildings along major public roads located in six urban districts.

At the same time, the city will encourage the development of low-cost commercial housing and rental housing as a way of curbing the illegal construction of houses in suburban areas. The city would issue bonds to mobilise capital for social housing development, especially social housing for rent.

Director of the Department of Construction Traàn Troïng Tuaán stressed that the development of housing must align with the development of technical infrastructure, social infrastructure and create land funds for public transport and parks. — VNS