Ho Chi Minh City sets floor area standards for apartments

The newly issued decision outlines the methodology for calculating population in apartment and mixed-use apartment buildings across Ho Chi Minh City, with particular attention to per capita floor area requirements.

Stage-by-stage regulations

During the investment policy approval stage and the development of detailed construction plans at a 1/500 scale, including streamlined detailed planning at 1/500, the maximum population capacity of apartment and mixed-use apartment buildings shall be determined in accordance with current planning law, including urban planning codes, and construction law.

Additionally, this capacity must align with the National Housing Development Strategy for 2021-30, with a vision toward 2045, approved by the prime minister in Decision No. 2161, which targets a per capita floor area of approximately 32m²/person.

During the feasibility study review and construction permit issuance stage, the population of apartment and mixed-use apartment buildings shall be calculated using either the standard of 3.5 persons per unit, based on complete results from the 2019 Population and Housing Census and preliminary results from the mid-term Population and Housing Census conducted at 0:00 on April 1, 2024 by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, or according to the bedroom configuration and usable floor area of each unit.

Specific area standards

For standard apartment units, excluding resettlement and social housing, studio apartments are allocated 25-32m² per person. 

One-bedroom units range from over 32 to 56m² for two persons.

Two-bedroom units are calculated at over 56-64m² for two persons, or over 64-96m² for three persons.

Three-bedroom units range from over 96 to 128m² for four persons, or over 128-160m² for five persons. 

Four-bedroom units or larger are allocated over 160m² for six persons.

For resettlement or social housing units, one-bedroom apartments ranging from 25 to 32m² are calculated for one person, while those from 32m² to under 45m² accommodate 1.5 persons.

Two-bedroom units from 45m² to under 55m² are calculated for two persons, those from 55m² to under 70m² for 2.5 persons, and those from 70m² to under 75m² for three persons.

For serviced apartments and office-residence combination units, population shall be calculated by converting the residential floor area according to the corresponding standards listed above.

Where architectural plans show discrepancies between usable floor area and bedroom configuration, population shall be determined based on the usable floor area of the corresponding unit type.