The two buildings, offering a total of 360 apartment units, will be built on a ground of 5,082sq.m as part of the second phase of the workers’ housing project at Linh Trung II Export-Processing Zone.

The project also includes a kindergarten, a trade-service zone and a recreational zone. It has a total investment of around 408 billion VND (17.76 million USD). The first phase of the project comprises two nine-storey dormitories with more than 350 units, which was put into use 10 years ago.

According to Director of the HCM Department of Construction Tran Hoang Quan, the southern economic hub will develop nearly 484,000 affordable apartment units, with a total floor area of 50.6 million sq.m, from 2021 – 2025. More than 35,700 units, equivalent to 2.5 million sq.m in floor area, will be provided to factory workers.

This year, his department plans to speed up the granting of licenses for 18 housing projects, including 10 social housing and dormitory ones for workers.

Speaking in the ground-breaking ceremony on April 25, Deputy Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc said the shortage of accommodation near factories has forced workers to travel long-distance daily and caused various difficulties for COVID-19 control efforts.

The development of dormitories for workers in short and long terms will minimise negative impacts of the pandemic and help improve workers’ living standard, the official said. He added that HCM City will introduce soft loan policies to attract more developers into housing projects for workers while working groups will be established to address challenges to the projects

Source VNA