Saigon’s process of rebuilding, renovating and improving old apartment buildings will be much faster in the future thanks to a recent bureaucratic shift.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee decided recently that it would let its district counterparts take control of renovation projects in their respective jurisdictions which involve old apartment complexes, reports Zing.
The new policy states that district administrations are free to make decisions related to planning, quality assessment, crafting contracts and communicating with residents and building owners, instead of having to seek municipal approval like before. Moreover, new buildings will be constructed and operated under public-private partnerships (PPP).
According to an official from the Department of Construction, city authorities approved the role change to expedite the renovation and rebuilding of Saigon’s host of decrepit structures. Many long-term residents living in these buildings have also taken the news well, as they have waited years to have their home upgraded.
In 2016, Saigon officials urged the Department of Construction to speed up the vetting process for 474 old tenements within the city's borders. However, under the old system, this would have taken decades as assessment and compensation can last from five to 10 years per project.
