The National Assembly's approval of the Resolution with a very high approval rate (96.44% of delegates) is not just a simple policy decision.
This Resolution is also a strong political commitment to "resolve" one of the most persistent and painful problems in people's lives: housing for low-income people.
For the first time, the concept of "National Housing Fund" is shaped as a non-budgetary, non-profit state financial fund operating at both the central and local levels.
Not only separating social security tasks from real estate marketization, more importantly, this Fund will focus on forming a housing fund for stable, long-term lease, instead of just selling it off as it is now.
This new mechanism will help workers who are unable to afford to buy a house to settle down, while maintaining public assets to serve the community sustainably.
Another breakthrough is the expansion of beneficiaries, including those affected by the arrangement of administrative units - a reality that is happening on a large scale.
In particular, businesses and public organizations are allowed to rent social housing to arrange for their staff and workers, both to help ensure security and retain human resources.
This resolution is also an attractive invitation for the private sector. A series of administrative procedures have been cut or abolished: no bidding requirements for selecting investors; exemption of construction permits if using sample designs; removal of procedures for appraisal of selling prices and rental prices at the provincial level...
All of this helps save time, costs and reduce legal risks, creating conditions for investors to boldly participate.
However, what makes the deep difference of this policy is not only the "open" but also the "maintaining" part.
The Resolution assigns the Government specific responsibility in preventing policy profiteering, controlling quality and costs, from the subject approval stage to acceptance, settlement and post-inspection.
After the loopholes that once existed in social housing management, especially the allocation to the wrong subjects, the requirement to "prevent loopholes and negativity" this time is the key to maintaining the people's trust.
The Resolution opens a new, broader, clearer and more practical legal corridor. However, to turn policies into truly affordable housing for the disadvantaged, it is necessary to have the synchronous participation of localities, businesses and the entire beneficiary community.
The road to social housing development has been opened, the initiative has been granted, the procedures have been removed, and the barriers have been lowered.
Now is the time for action to realize the concept of "social housing" into specific, solid shelters, growing in the workplace of workers, the workplace of civil servants, the place where the disadvantaged earn a living...
