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| Ecogarden Urban Area aims to create green, civilized, safe, and sustainable living spaces |
Celebrating New Homes in Social Housing
On a weekend afternoon, the newly completed apartments in the West Sky building complex (OXH1) in Ecogarden Urban Area, Vy Da Ward, Hue City - one of the city’s social housing projects - were filled with cheerful conversation and laughter. Following the handover of the apartments by the developer, many families were busy moving their belongings in and hiring workers to complete the interiors before settling in. Others were preparing housewarming meals to celebrate their new homes with their families.
Hoang Viet Dat, 30 years old, who purchased an apartment in the W1 building, was putting the finishing touches on his new home. Looking back on his journey toward homeownership, he could not hide his emotions. Dat said that his work as a tour guide required him to travel frequently. In the past, commuting between his hometown in Quang Dien Commune, Hue City, and the city center had been difficult and inconvenient.
“With the money I had saved, I was able to secure a safe home with modern infrastructure and a convenient location for my work without taking out a bank loan. For young people like us who are just starting our careers, buying land and building a private house would create enormous financial pressure. Social housing is therefore a suitable choice,” Dat shared.
What makes Dat most excited was not only being able to purchase a home, but also discovering that the quality of life in Ecogarden’s social housing area was comparable to that of high-end commercial developments. From a modern fire prevention and firefighting system, high-speed elevators imported from Japan, to environmentally friendly amenities such as outdoor sports facilities and electric-vehicle charging stations and gentle music playing each morning, these help create positive energy for the day ahead.
Dat’s success did not come easily. With demand for social housing in the city currently very high, he had to submit his application four times before finally being selected in the apartment lottery. After learning about the social housing project, many of his colleagues also applied to purchase apartments. This housing model is highly suitable for young people who are beginning to establish their lives and careers.
Sharing the same joy, Ta Thi Minh Hien of Thuan Hoa Ward, Hue City, had recently moved into the W1 building and was preparing a housewarming meal with her family. Hien said that after many years, her family had finally obtained the home they had always dreamed of - a place in a secure neighborhood with modern infrastructure and a wide range of amenities. Since paying the deposit, she had closely followed the construction progress and eagerly awaited the day her family could move in. Their dream has now come true.
Improving Residents’ Quality of Life
To ensure that high-quality apartments reach eligible beneficiaries, every social housing allocation is subject to a rigorous approval process. Le Van Thanh, Deputy General Director of Cotana Capital Real Estate Investment and Development Joint Stock Company - the developer of the Ecogarden social housing project - said that applications are reviewed through a closely controlled process. This includes receiving and transparently scoring applications; an interagency assessment led by the Department of Construction and other relevant departments and agencies to verify land ownership and income information; publicly posting the list of eligible applicants for 15 working days; and obtaining formal approval before conducting a public lottery to assign apartment locations.
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| Young people are achieving their dream of homeownership through the social housing project in Ecogarden Urban Area |
According to Mr. Le Van Thanh, the recent handover of modern social housing apartments in Hue City has not only brought the joy of homeownership to thousands of families but has also helped eliminate negative perceptions of this housing segment. With synchronized infrastructure, amenities approaching the commercial segments, flood-prevention measures, and climate-resilient design, social housing projects are helping create a new urban landscape for Vietnam’s former imperial capital.
Cotana Capital also aims to completely transform perceptions of social housing by establishing green and safe living standards at affordable prices for low-income residents. In response to increasingly extreme weather conditions, the developer proactively modified several components of the project to improve flood resilience. Technical infrastructure systems were integrated into the first-floor design so that the area would remain protected even if floodwaters rose to an elevation of 3.55 meters.
According to Cotana Capital, Hue City has established ambitious housing-development targets through 2030. In the coming years, the company intends to continue contributing to the city’s social housing development program. Specifically, the developer has been completing the West Sky complex (OXH1, comprising the W1, W2, W3, and W4 buildings) and the East Sky complex (OXH2, comprising the E1, E2, E3, and E4 buildings). Together, these developments will add more than 1,400 environmentally designed apartments to Hue City’s social housing supply. The projects contribute to the implementation of the Government’s plan to build one million social housing units, as well as the program to improve and complete the infrastructure of the An Van Duong New Urban Area.
Mr. Le Toan Thang, Deputy Director of the Hue City Department of Construction, said that the city is entering a new stage of development following its designation as a centrally governed municipality. Along with urbanization, socioeconomic development, and improvements in residents’ quality of life, the demand for housing continues to increase. The city’s position is that housing development must be closely synchronized with coordinated and modern urban development while preserving Hue’s distinctive cultural character. Housing projects should also aim to create green, civilized, safe, and sustainable living environments.
“The Department of Construction will continue to effectively perform its management responsibilities and coordinate with other departments, agencies, and local authorities to provide support and resolve difficulties and obstacles. This will create favorable conditions for projects to be implemented in accordance with approved plans, while ensuring their progress and quality and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of residents,” Mr. Thang affirmed.
In implementing Government Resolution No. 7/NQ-CP, dated January 12, 2026, which assigns social housing development targets to localities for the 2026–2030 period, and Official Letter No. 1150-CV/TU, dated July 27, 2026, from the Hue City Party Committee regarding future housing-development directions, the city is accelerating the implementation of 11 social housing projects, with more than 12,000 apartments in total, aiming to exceed its assigned target for the 2025–2030 period.
In addition, the State Bank of Vietnam’s Region 9 Branch is coordinating with the Department of Construction to effectively implement a VND 145 trillion credit package for social housing loans.