People queue up overnight in Hanoi to apply for social housing

The Calyx Residence apartment project in Dong Anh Commune began accepting applications at 8.30 a.m. Sunday, and with only 466 apartments to be built, people scrambled to queue early.

Many brought food and water to wait in Hanoi’s chilly weather with temperatures falling to 18-19 degrees Celsius at night.

Tuan, a freelance worker, said he was among the earliest in line after arriving at 11 p.m. Saturday.

Queuers wait to submit their applications for buying social housing apartments Calyx Residence in Dong Anh, Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Diem

Anticipating high demand, he arrived as early as he could, and was among around 30 people who spent the night queuing.

"Just a few minutes’ difference could mean my application cannot be submitted in time, and so I had to bear the hardship."

From 6 a.m. Sunday the number of people grew steadily. Bich, a resident of Phuc Thinh Commune, said she and her husband arrived at 7 a.m., but there was already a long line.

With the morning application number exceeded, she had to wait until afternoon to submit hers. "Those who could not submit applications had to register to apply the next day."

The developer of the project, the Ministry of National Defense’s 319 Corporation, provided tarps for shelter, drinking water and dry rations for the people waiting in line.

Construction of the apartments began late last year on a 1.5-hectare plot, and the project will have four nine-story buildings.

The company, to be completed at the end of 2026, will sell 419 apartments outright and sign rent-to-own agreements for 47 others at around VND20.6 million per square meter, which means the prices will range from VND824 million to VND1.5 billion.

Calyx Residence in Dong Anh, Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Diem

In Hanoi, the average apartment price is now VND85.6 million per square meter, according to property service firm One Mount Group.

The project’s location near Co Loa Road, a main artery in Dong Anh, adds appeal, Thu Ha, one of those queueing up, said.

She expected the number of applications for the project to be "very high" and the competition to secure an apartment to be "unprecedented."

Since late 2024 several social housing projects have been launched in the capital, which is otherwise dominated by commercial ones.

But their prices have been rising too, climbing to VND25-29 million per square meter now from VND20 million three years ago.

The Ministry of Construction recently urged the city to scrutinize projects where prices are sharply up.

Under a national plan to build at least one million social housing units, Hanoi’s share is 56,200 units by 2030, among the highest. This year the city aims to complete 4,670 units.

In 2021-2025 there have been 16 projects with over 17,300 units.

Priority for buying are given to those who do not own a house, people in the low-income groups, and employees of defense and security agencies.