“Saying goodbye” to makeshift and dilapidated houses

Local authorities in Phong Son commune (now Phong Thai Ward) together with benefactors supporting the groundbreaking to replace a makeshift house for Mr. Tran Hue.

Houses filled with love

The blazing late-summer sun seemed less harsh inside the newly built tiled-roof house of Ms. Chau Thi Yen in Phong Thai Ward (formerly Phong Son Commune). In the small yard, Ms. Yen was tidying up leftover bricks from construction. The sturdy single-story house, with its bright lime-washed walls, was a long-awaited haven that she had only dared to dream of after years of single-handedly raising three children.

Her husband passed away early, and her income relied only on a few small plots of farmland and irregular labor work. For years, she and her children had to live in a dilapidated house - leaky in the rainy season, suffocatingly hot in the summer. At the beginning of 2025, her family was listed among those eligible for housing support. Thanks to 95 million VND in program funding and help from relatives, she decided to build a solid house. “Without this program, I don’t know when my children and I would have escaped living in constant fear of storms and heat. Now that we have a new house, the whole family is overjoyed,” shared Ms. Yen.

Like Ms. Yen, hundreds of disadvantaged households in Hue City are transitioning from fragile shelters to solid houses. From single mothers, lonely elderly people, and policy-beneficiary families, to ethnic minorities and poor households - all once shared the same wish: to have a proper house.

In Nam Pho Ha Hamlet (Loc An Commune), Ms. Pham Thi Anh’s new house was just completed. She was born with a disability, and her husband has been ill. For 25 years of living together, their livelihood relied on selling votive paper and incense making. “We never dared to dream of having enough money to build a real house. The children grew up without a proper place to live and study. We felt sorry for them, but we were powerless,” said Ms. Anh.

With support from the government and donors for funding and construction materials, her family also borrowed from the Social Policy Bank to construct the new house. While drying freshly-made incense in the sunlight, she smiled gently: “Our family has entered a new chapter. With a solid new house, our eldest child is now working to help support the family. We are no longer classified as poor households and can now focus on improving our livelihood.”

Despite 2025 being a year of administrative restructuring at all levels, in every village and street, the campaign to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated houses continued steadfastly. With unwavering determination, Party committees, authorities, and socio-political organizations infused the program with fresh momentum, spreading compassion, community spirit, and hope to families struggling with housing difficulties.

An official in Huong Tra Ward shared: “Some families couldn’t afford their share of the cost, so local authorities had to proactively connect with donors to provide additional support. When there were issues with land ownership, officials worked with the land management department, acting as ‘mediators’ to resolve problems. Each completed house is a collective achievement - the result of dedication and effort from dozens of people across different levels and sectors.”

Warmth from a major policy

Eliminating makeshift and dilapidated houses is not a temporary campaign, but a long-term action program. Under the close, determined direction of Hue City Party Committee and People’s Committee, and the active participation of the political system, the movement was implemented systematically, transparently, and democratically from the grassroots level. Village and neighborhood meetings and rigorous, fair reviews ensured the right beneficiaries, minimized negative practices, and avoided omissions.

In addition to Central Budget funding, the City mobilized resources from businesses, socio-political organizations, and philanthropists. Everyone contributed - be it money, bricks, cement, or labor. Many commune and village officials volunteered to oversee construction; neighbors helped carry materials and cook for workers. All efforts shared the same humanitarian purpose: “leaving no one behind.”

Not only financial support, but housing construction was also carried out according to appropriate designs, meeting the “three solid” standards (solid foundation, solid frame-walls, solid roof), with a minimum lifespan of 20 years and usable floor space of at least 30 m². Many households were advised on designs that suited their lifestyle and local culture, while still ensuring safety and durability.

From 2021 to 2024, the City supported the construction and repair of houses for 6,778 poor households, near-poor households, policy-beneficiary families, and people with meritorious service. Total funding reached more than 350.7 billion VND from Central and City budgets as well as other lawful sources. These efforts encouraged and inspired families to gradually rise in life.

The campaign to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated houses was not just a social welfare activity but also a chance to awaken responsibility among officials and Party members. Many local leaders closely monitored their areas daily, visiting each household to understand their real needs, given their understanding that if even one family still had to live in a leaky, run-down house, the responsibility of the leadership was still incomplete.