Ho Chi Minh City is speeding up social housing, but the gap with its targets is still wide. The city’s Department of Construction now expects 13 projects with about 9,000 units to be completed by the end of 2026, up from just 2,283 units finished so far. Earlier in October, the city also published indicative prices for five social housing projects, ranging from about VND 19.8 million to more than VND 35 million per m² – roughly a third to a quarter of new commercial apartment prices.
Where things stand
| Completed and in use | 2,283 units (up from 580 at end of May) |
|---|---|
| Expected completion by end-2026 | 13 projects, ~9,000 units |
| Under construction | 25 projects, ~22,900 units (from 12 projects four months earlier) |
| New starts | 13 projects, ~14,000 units |
| Eligible for registration by year-end | ~17 projects, ~18,000 units |
| 2026–2030 target (Resolution 303/NQ-CP) | More than 181,000 social and rental units |
| 2027 target | Nearly 58,000 units |
Indicative prices for five projects
On 7 October, the city published provisional prices for five social housing projects. Official prices will be appraised and approved at the time of sale.
| Project | Ward | Units | Price per m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 Le Van Chi complex | Linh Xuan Ward | 140 | > VND 35.3m |
| CC1 Eco Home 1 | Phu My Ward | 340 | ~VND 19.8m (completion Dec 2026) |
| HUD Thu Duc social housing | Hiep Binh Ward | 209 | ~VND 30.7m (completion Q3 2027) |
| Long Truong project | Long Truong Ward | 462 social units (558 total) | > VND 20.4m (handover Jul 2027) |
| Ly Thuong Kiet project | Dien Hong Ward | 1,254 | > VND 23.2m |
For comparison, Savills and listing data show new commercial apartments in Ho Chi Minh City averaging around or above VND 100 million per m² in 2026. A 60 m² social housing apartment at VND 20–30 million per m² would cost roughly VND 1.2–1.8 billion, versus VND 6 billion or more for a similar-sized new commercial unit in many central or eastern projects.
Who can buy social housing?
Social housing is reserved for eligible groups defined by law – typically low- and middle-income workers, civil servants, armed forces personnel and people affected by land clearance who do not own a home or have very limited housing space, subject to income limits. Applications are made per project once it reaches the stage where registration is allowed (usually from foundation level). Because conditions and income thresholds change, check the current rules with the Department of Construction or the project developer before applying.
The bottlenecks
The city has 191 projects and sites covering about 740 hectares earmarked for social housing, with plans to add about 1,000 hectares by 2040. But land is “necessary but not sufficient”, according to the department. Developers still face:
- Lengthy legal and investment procedures
- Planning that does not always align with housing needs
- Difficulty raising capital, with profit capped at 10% of total investment for social housing for sale
- Unstable long-term preferential loans
- Weak interest in rental housing because of high upfront capital and long payback periods
How the city plans to respond
- Cut administrative processing time for social housing projects by 50%
- Use more public land and public capital for rental housing
- Assign the Housing Development Fund about 25,000 units, the Labour Federation about 10,000 rental units, and industrial zone authorities about 10,000 worker homes
- Study interest-rate support and further incentives
Nationally, the government reported about 46,962 social housing units completed in the first nine months of 2026, around 48% of the annual target. The amended Housing Law under discussion at the National Assembly session that opened on 17 October would give rental housing even more priority.
What it means for the wider market
More social and rental housing will not change the high-end market overnight, but it matters. It gives first-time buyers and young families a realistic path to ownership, eases pressure on the low end of the rental market and may, over time, temper price expectations for older, mid-market apartments. For buyers who do not qualify for social housing, more affordable commercial options are increasingly found in the northern and north-western belts – for example in the former Binh Duong area, where projects such as SkySOLIS and Norton Park are priced well below the city centre.
Frequently asked questions
How many social housing units will Ho Chi Minh City complete in 2026?
The Department of Construction expects 13 projects with about 9,000 units to be completed by the end of 2026.
How much does social housing cost in Ho Chi Minh City?
Indicative prices published in October 2026 for five projects range from about VND 19.8 million to more than VND 35.3 million per m².
What is Ho Chi Minh City’s social housing target to 2030?
More than 181,000 social and rental housing units for 2026–2030, with nearly 58,000 targeted for 2027.
Who is eligible to buy social housing?
Eligible groups under housing law, typically low- and middle-income workers, civil servants and armed forces personnel without adequate housing, subject to income limits. Check current rules before applying.
Why is social housing slow to develop?
Legal procedures, planning alignment, capital constraints, a 10% profit cap and unstable long-term preferential loans.
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