Support to Development of Low-Income Housing Policy and Strategy for Vietnam Cities

Background and Objectives

Background

Vietnam has been experiencing rapid urbanization owing to economic development since the introduction of Doimoi policy in 1986. It is projected that by 2020, city dwellers will amount to 46 million, about 45% of total population. As a small country with only 329,000 square kilometres and GDP per capita at slightly more than US1,000. Vietnam is still feeling much pressure on ensuring adequate housing for all the people. Around 25% of housing stock is classified by the Government as substandard, or temporary. The situation is especially dire for the low-income sector.Current housing policies are not suitable for the present situation and only provide temporary solution to meet urgent housing needs.

Objectives

- Provide governments and other actors with a systemic analysis of housing delivery systems at city and national level, including recommendations for the improvement of their housing sectors;
- Strengthen capacity of housing policy makers to design enabling housing policies, including establishment of institutional and financial frameworks for low income housing provision and accessibility;
- Support the Ministry of Construction to formulate National Low-income Housing Development Strategy.

Activities

Main activities inlucde
- Publish the Vietnam Housing Sector Profile;
- Conduct traning courses on housing policy for selected national and local govenment staff;
- Organise workshop to launch Vietnam Shelter Profile;
- Establish and disseminate the National low-income housing strategy.

Results

Expected results are as follows:
- Vietnam Housing Sector Profile, including capacity needs assessment and recommendations for improvement of the housing delivery system;
- Selected national and local government staff capable of improving low-income housing policy and preparing national low-income housing strategy;
- National Housing Strategy provided;
- National level policy recommendations and dialogues formulated for improvement of low-income housing provision;
- Selected local staff capable of conducting housing action researches and designing enabling housing policy.