Police officers provide manual labour to support the construction of new homes for poor and near-poor families in Bạc Liêu Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is pushing ahead with a nationwide campaign to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated houses (MDHs), aiming to complete the task by the end of 2025, five years ahead of the target set in the Communist Party’s Resolution 42.

Officials describe the campaign as a broad-based effort involving government bodies, security forces, enterprises and communities to ensure no one is left without a safe, permanent home.

Homes targeted for elimination

As of May 31, Government data shows that Việt Nam has removed 203,048 MDHs, with 138,671 new replacement apartments completed and 64,377 under construction.

The campaign follows Resolution 42, issued by the Party Central Committee in November 2023, which calls for eliminating MDHs for poor and near-poor families and those affected by natural disasters and climate change by 2030.

However, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has ordered that the goal be met this year, coinciding with the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding, the 80th anniversary of national independence and the 50th anniversary of national unification.

"This is a historic year. We cannot allow people to remain without proper shelter," PM Chính said, calling for "speed - more speed" and urging that "no one be left behind".

Since the Prime Minister’s directive, the campaign has rapidly expanded nationwide. Authorities report that more than 125,000 new homes have been delivered to poor and near-poor families, over 26,300 given to families of revolutionary contributors and some 51,400 handed out under national target programmes.

Deputy Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Nông Thị Hà said the effort reflects Việt Nam’s socialist values of equity, compassion and collective solidarity.

"The construction and handover of new houses for disadvantaged families is essential, but only the first step," she said. "To help them sustainably escape poverty and move forward, further support and sharing are urgently needed, especially in securing livelihoods."

Security and border area strategy

Officials say the campaign is not only a social welfare initiative, but also a matter of national security.

Deputy Chief of the Office of the Ministry of Public Security Nguyễn Hồng Nguyên warned that inadequate housing in remote areas has contributed to social instability and exposure to criminal networks, especially in narcotics trafficking.

The police force has played a frontline role, building more than 29,100 new houses, particularly in border provinces such as Điện Biên, Lai Châu and Sơn La. In some locations, houses were completed in just five days, despite transportation costs exceeding the value of construction materials.

Nguyên said efforts date back to 2017, under the direction of then-Minister of Public Security Tô Lâm, who initiated the use of standardised house models with three solid components – roofs, walls and foundations – for mass rural deployment. In many remote areas, materials had to be carried manually across rivers and mountains.

Nghệ An as a case study

In the central province of Nghệ An, 18,511 out of 21,042 planned homes have been completed as of May 29. The remaining houses are scheduled to break ground in June and be completed by July 31, three months ahead of the national deadline.

Võ Thị Minh Sinh, deputy secretary of the Nghệ An Province's Party Committee, said the campaign has inspired broad-based community participation.

"To ensure the campaign’s effectiveness, Nghệ An mobilised the entire political system and assigned clear responsibilities to each government level,” Sinh said. "In many localities, results have been used as performance criteria for evaluating, planning and appointing local leaders."

The province has made housing delivery a performance indicator for local governments. Construction results now factor into annual evaluations and leadership appointments at commune, district and provincial levels.

Corporate and military contributions

The campaign has received strong backing from the military and State-owned enterprises. Viettel Group, the military-run telecom giant, has committed VNĐ430 billion (US$17 million) to support construction in 17 provinces.

"Our philosophy is that business must go hand in hand with social responsibility," said Viettel’s Deputy CEO Đào Xuân Vũ. The group is also supporting digital infrastructure and telemedicine services in underserved areas.

The armed forces have contributed over VNĐ600 billion and 76,500 workdays. Meanwhile, the banking sector has pledged VNĐ1.3 trillion, organising voluntary salary contributions from staff and directing resources to priority localities.

Thào Thế Mua, a resident in Tuyên Quang Province, looks at his newly built house funded by the Government. — VNA/VNS Photo

Diverse local models

Bình Định Province completed 4,411 new houses within three months by supplementing State funds with local contributions of up to VNĐ80 million per home. The province also advanced funds from its own budget to build homes for families of revolutionary contributors.

Hà Tĩnh introduced grassroots-level models like 'One official per home' and 'Zero-cost construction teams', mobilising Party cells, youth unions and security forces to minimise labour costs.

Bình Phước launched a 200-day campaign to eradicate all makeshift housing, while Sơn La built 2,544 new houses between April 2024 and May 2025, declaring its goal met.

Thus far, 20 provinces have reported that they no longer have any families living in makeshift and dilapidated homes.

Legal barriers and remaining challenges

Despite rapid progress, structural challenges remain. In many mountainous areas, residents occupy land without official titles, preventing the legal recognition of their homes.

In Pù Mát National Park, for example, entire villages are located on land classified as protected forest, which cannot be legally converted to residential use without re-zoning.

Officials say these legal bottlenecks have slowed progress and created difficulties in issuing land use certificates. In late May, flash floods in Nghệ An’s highland districts destroyed four newly built homes and damaged 54 others, underscoring the vulnerability of housing to climate events.

Beyond shelter

Officials stress that housing alone is not enough.

"Once families have homes, we need to ensure they can escape poverty for good," said Deputy Minister Hà. She went on to call for targeted investment in transportation, power, water, education, vocational training and agricultural support.

Sinh described visiting newly built homes that were nearly empty inside. "When we presented a portrait of President Hồ Chí Minh and the national flag, those were the first items hung on the wall. The house still felt very bare. This is something we must recognise clearly," she said.

"After a family has housing, they need support to stabilise their lives," she added.

Sinh called for expanded livelihood policies such as seed and livestock provision, vocational training and job counselling. She also revealed that Nghệ An is exploring the creation of a local Home Maintenance Fund to support repairs and long-term upgrades.

Both Hà and Sinh emphasised the importance of livelihood programmes, including access to micro-finance, vocational training and labour export schemes.

"We’ve given them the fishing rod," Sinh said. "But we must also teach them to fish."

Final push and outlook

Prime Minister Chính has set October 31 as the deadline for all provinces to complete construction. Authorities say provinces that fail to begin work by the end of June will likely miss the target.

The Ministry of Public Security is now overseeing simultaneous construction drives in seven provinces, with daily progress tracking. On some days, hundreds of houses are being completed and handed over.

"We’re fully committed," said Nguyên. "This is not just a campaign; it’s a national mission. And we will finish it."

Vũ echoed the urgency. "There are still homes unaccounted for. But if we keep the momentum, we will not only meet the target, we’ll surpass it."

Sinh concluded: "This is a campaign that plants seeds of compassion, nurtures hope and builds the future. With unity, we will reach the finish line and go beyond it." — VNS