Cracks in the past: As Ho Chi Minh City soars, some residents still live in fear of collapse
Amid the towering glass buildings and the nonstop bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, remnants of the past quietly persist — old, dilapidated apartment blocks, built before 1975, leaving many residents in constant fear for their safety.
Officially designated as ‘Grade D’ structures, the most dangerous classification, these buildings are considered at risk of collapse.
Yet for many residents, they are still home, despite crumbling facades and broken stairwells.
In these ramshackle blocks, families continue to cook, sleep, and raise children amid the risk, waiting for promised relocation plans.
The apartment building at 155-157 Bui Vien Street is located in the heart of the bustling ‘backpacker street’ and has been listed as severely dilapidated buildings. Its windows hang broken and incomplete. According to nearby residents, the building’s occupants moved out one to two years ago, yet the massive concrete block still looms large in the midst of this cramped, high-value area.
In 2017, the municipal Department of Construction completed a citywide review, identifying 15 Grade D apartment complexes.
Eight were deemed critically unsafe and marked for immediate evacuation, with the most dangerous located in District 1, District 3, District 4, District 5, and District 6.
One of the most alarming cases is the Vinh Hoi apartment complex in District 4, where large red warning signs are posted throughout it: the building may collapse at any time.
D., 55, has lived in Block A of the complex for decades.
She said that about half of the residents have already moved out under city arrangements, while the rest remain and do not know where they will go next.
She pointed to stairwells where chunks of plaster have peeled off, revealing deep cracks in the walls, evidence of a structure that continues to fail.
Other residents like D., who have spent a lifetime in this building, are still waiting for a relocation plan that makes sense for everyone.
A relocation plan was introduced in late 2019 for the residents of the Vinh Hoi apartment complex, but progress has been slow, hampered by the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By early 2025, the building had seen more than 70 incidents of falling concrete and structural damage.
Emergency temporary relocation is now underway.
Located in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, the apartment building at 11 Vo Van Tan Street in District 3 has been classified as dangerous. Its severe state of deterioration is clearly visible from the outside. A vendor operating beneath the building said that two households are still living inside.
As the Vinh Hoi apartment complex in District 4 is severely dilapidated, local authorities are implementing emergency temporary relocation. Many households have already moved out, but some residents remain, clinging to their homes amid a constant sense of anxiety and uncertainty.
A relocation plan was mapped out in late 2019 for dwellers at the Vinh Hoi apartment complex, built before 1975. However, the process has faced numerous challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. By early 2025, the building had severely deteriorated, with over 70 incidents of falling concrete, cracked floors, and other structural failures, heightening residents’ fears and concerns.
Truc Giang Apartment Building, one of eight buildings classified as dangerous, is tucked behind Xom Chieu Market in District 4. Its severe deterioration is clearly visible, with crumbling walls and weeds taking root in patches of mold and decay.
Tucked away amid the bustling streets and modern skyscrapers, dilapidated apartment buildings still linger.
Tieu Bac - Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre News