Solving old apartment buildings in Vinh City: 'It's as painful as a pedestrian stepping on a thorn and not being able to pull it out'

On the morning of December 8, at the 11th Session of the 18th Nghe An Provincial People's Council, Mr. Le Sy Chien - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee answered and clarified the difficulties and problems related to the settlement of old collective housing areas in Vinh City.

Delegates attending the discussion session. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Discussing issues that Vinh city voters are interested in and recommend, delegate Phan Thi Hoan (Vinh city unit) - Secretary of the Provincial Business Bloc Party Committee reflected: Implementing Project 109 of the Provincial People's Committee in 2007, up to now Vinh city has resolved 142 collective housing areas in the area, helping households stabilize their lives.

However, in the city, there are still 14 collective housing areas in wards such as Trung Do, Le Loi, Hung Binh, Cua Nam, etc. that are still unfinished, causing many problems during the implementation process. It is recommended that the Provincial and City People's Committees direct solutions to help people stabilize their lives.

Delegate Phan Thi Hoan (Vinh City) proposed that the Provincial People's Committee continue to resolve old collective housing areas in Vinh City. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Clarifying the content proposed by delegate Phan Thi Hoan, Mr. Le Sy Chien - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee emphasized: This is a very painful issue, like "a pedestrian stepping on a thorn and not being able to pull it out".

The Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee said: Implementing the Project to resolve old collective housing in Vinh City (issued with Decision 109/QD-UBND dated September 21, 2007) approved by Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Vinh City has 156 collective housing areas. When the project ended, the city resolved 142 collective housing areas with more than 3,000 households, creating a new landscape and stabilizing people's lives. Currently, in Vinh City, there are still 14 old, degraded collective housing areas.

Many apartments in the Museum Collective Block 3, Cua Nam Ward are degraded. Photo: Lam Tung

However, the implementation process encountered many difficulties because after the project ended in 2020, it meant that previous documents were abolished.

Therefore, when dealing with the remaining collective housing areas, the city encountered many difficulties and problems. The two biggest difficulties were related to land recovery for renovation and improvement. "Recovering land from organizations that were allocated land by the State or recovering land from people who are managing and using it" - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee expressed concern.

Previously, implementing Project 109, Vinh City handled the land recovery from organizations and this approach was confirmed to be correct through the conclusions of the first-instance and appeal trials of the Provincial People's Court. However, the current Land Law has many new regulations, so it has not received high consensus from the people in this approach.

The second problem is the issue of deducting financial obligations for those who bought collective houses before July 1, 2004. Previously, when implementing Project 109, the Provincial People's Committee issued Official Letter No. 8575 to resolve this issue, allowing deduction of financial obligations in cases of granting land use right certificates for the area of ​​​​purchased houses at a discount. Accordingly, before 1993, people who bought houses within the limit were entitled to a 100% deduction, and from 1993 to 2004, they were entitled to a 50% deduction of financial obligations. However, currently, according to the new Land Law, if land is recovered from an organization, this is not a case of land compensation, so financial obligations cannot be deducted.

In fact, after the implementation of the Project, some people filed lawsuits in court. The Provincial People's Court has handled the case, the High Court has resolved the conclusion that: Vinh City and the province have resolved the deduction for people in accordance with regulations. However, recently, some departments and branches have commented that the implementation of the deduction has not been in accordance with the provisions of the law and that the financial obligations for home buyers cannot be deducted. In addition to these two main contents, there are a number of other difficulties and problems.

“Regarding the difficulties and obstacles, Vinh city has discussed and proposed to relevant departments and branches; the departments have actively participated. However, this is a matter of legal regulations and there are “gaps” in the law that have not been resolved. We hope to receive high consensus from all levels, branches and the Provincial People's Committee to issue a guiding decision so that the locality has a basis for implementation” - Mr. Le Sy Chien proposed.

If we can resolve these difficulties and problems, we hope to complete the target of resolving all collective housing areas in Vinh city according to the Resolution of the 29th City Party Committee.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung - Deputy Director of the Department of Finance said that the Department of Finance is researching and considering to advise the Provincial People's Committee to implement the project to upgrade and renovate Quan Lau market. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Regarding the project to renovate and upgrade Quan Lau market, Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee Le Sy Chien said: This is a market located in the center of Ho Chi Minh Square, so it needs to be renovated and upgraded soon to create a civilized urban image; at the same time, it is stable for small traders to do business.

Regarding the implementation of this project, Vinh city has submitted it to departments and branches and is in the process of research.