Bac Ninh approves multiple social housing projects to meet rising demand for affordable housing

Bac Ninh is entering a new development phase with rapid industrialization and urbanization, where large-scale industrial zones and synchronized infrastructure are being heavily invested. As of early 2026, the province had 37 planned industrial zones with total area over 11,700 hectares, 96 industrial clusters covering 3,713 hectares, and was promoting high-tech projects. There are over 26,000 active enterprises employing about 820,000 workers (nearly half from outside the province). It is expected that in 2026 Bac Ninh will recruit more than 230,000 new workers to meet production and business needs, reinforcing its position as the 'northern industrial hub' and driving strong demand for housing, especially social housing. EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SURGING HOUSING DEMAND To meet growing housing demand and implement the plan to invest in building at least 1 million social housing units for low-income earners and factory workers by 2030, Bac Ninh is accelerating social housing development. In the past week, the province approved three projects. On May 13, 2026, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Decision No. 692/QD-UBND approving the investment policy and assigning the project investor to develop a social housing area in Song Liễu ward on an 11.09-hectare site. The plan calls for four towers at 29 stories above ground with one basement, delivering about 4,166 units for 9,764 residents; plus 59 low-rise social housing units of 3–7 stories for 236 residents. The project also includes a kindergarten, cultural center, health clinic, playgrounds, green spaces, parking and modern utilities with integrated infrastructure, improving residents’ quality of life. The project is led by Sun Thành Kinh Bắc Joint Stock Company with an estimated total investment of about VND 7,636 billion and a 48-month implementation timeline from the date the investment policy was approved. Earlier, on May 8, the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee also issued Decision 681/QD-UBND approving the investment policy and assigning the investor to implement the Song Liễu (Zone 2) social housing project with an area of about 4.86 hectares. The social housing block comprises one 20-story building (20 floors above ground and one basement), providing about 994 apartments; a row of townhouses of 4 stories and a penthouse across 29 units, with total construction area about 2,465 square meters. The project is led by Ha Bac Housing Development Joint Stock Company, with an estimated investment of over VND 1,300 billion and a 48-month timeline, anticipated to accommodate about 2,538 residents. With synchronized technical infrastructure, these projects are expected to increase the social housing supply, improve living conditions for workers, low-income residents, and at the same time promote urban development, infrastructure completion, and create momentum for Bac Ninh’s economy–social development in the next period. On the same day, the province also issued Decision 683 approving an investment policy and directing the investor to not go through bidding for a social housing project in Kin Bắc ward covering 2.33 ha. The project has an estimated total investment of about VND 1,536 billion, with 15-story social housing towers (one basement, podium, and 14-story tower) housing about 1,250 apartments; 10 housing units combined with commercial services on nine stories and one basement. The investor is Kin Bac BN Investment and Development Joint Stock Company. Upon completion, it will meet housing needs for about 2,080 people. The People’s Committee requires the investor to complete procedures and deliver construction within four years from the date of the investment policy approval and assignment. PRIORITIZING HIGH-RISE SOCIAL HOUSING On May 11, 2026, the Bac Ninh Department of Construction issued document 3768/SXD-QLN confirming that 704 future-forming social housing units in the Bắc Giang ward project qualify for sale and rent-to-own. The project includes a 25-story apartment building with 704 units, expected to accommodate about 1,600 residents upon completion. Unlike traditional social housing, this project is developed by BV Land under a near-commercial standard within the BV Bavella Green Park urban complex, leveraging the area’s infrastructure and amenities to raise living standards and create a platform for attracting and retaining high-quality labor in the long term. In a recent meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Construction, Pham Van Thinh, Vice-Chairman of Bac Ninh Province, noted that by the end of April 2026, the province had 102 social housing projects totaling about 117,000 units; among them, 31 projects with about 24,000 units were largely completed and in use; 71 projects totaling almost 94,000 units were actively being implemented. In Government Resolution 07/NQ-CP on social housing development targets for 2026–2030, Bac Ninh was assigned a 2026 target of completing 19,900 social housing units. However, as of now, only about 14,000 units are projected to be completed, roughly 6,000 units short of the target. Going forward, Bac Ninh will continue prioritizing high-rise social housing projects that use land efficiently to meet the large demand in worker-dense areas.