After merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City currently has 168 commune-level administrative units, including 113 wards, 54 communes and 1 special zone.
According to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs, the city currently has 54 commune-level administrative units that have not met the criteria for area or population according to Resolution 112/2025 of the National Assembly Standing Committee.
In which, the Con Dao special zone and Thanh An island commune have not met the criteria for population.
52 communes and wards have not met the area standards, including:
Resolution 112/2025 stipulates that mountainous communes must have at least 5,000 people, an area of 100 km2; island communes from 2,500 people, 15 km2 wide; the remaining communes have at least 16,000 people, an area of 30 km2. Wards must have at least 21,000 people and 5.5 km2 wide.
Information that many communes and wards have not met the standards for area makes many people concerned about the possibility of adjusting administrative units in the near future.
Mr. Tran Minh Hoang (35 years old, Saigon ward) said that what people are most concerned about is how the change of administrative boundaries can affect daily life and business activities.
If the administrative address changes, do contracts, bank accounts or business licenses have to be adjusted immediately or transferred? I hope the functional agencies will announce a clear roadmap so that people and businesses can proactively prepare" - Mr. Hoang said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Le Thi Hanh (41 years old, Gia Dinh ward) believes that keeping or changing the name of an administrative unit is not the most important issue.
If the arrangement helps to streamline the apparatus, solve procedures faster and invest in better infrastructure, I support it. What people want is for information to be announced soon and transparently so that they have time to prepare" - Ms. Hanh shared.
Speaking at a dialogue with Ho Chi Minh City officials yesterday (July 28), Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang affirmed that the consideration of reorganizing administrative units is not only based on population and area criteria but also must consider development potential, position, defense and security requirements and actual management conditions.
According to the expected process, the Party committees of communes and wards will assess needs, unify plans and report to the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. Before completing the proposal, localities must organize to collect people's opinions.
At the same time, the Ho Chi Minh City Development Research Board will conduct independent research based on criteria on development potential, position, national defense, security and actual conditions to serve as a basis for advising the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee for consideration.
Mr. Tran Luu Quang said that the review is expected to be completed before August 30 to avoid affecting the city's infrastructure investment plan, digital transformation and public investment capital allocation.
