Ho Chi Minh City to publish list of apartment buildings eligible for tourist accommodation rentals

This directive also included developing a detailed proposal on how to manage and utilize apartments in residential buildings which are not originally intended for mixed-use for short-term tourism purposes.

The office of the municipal administration has issued a dispatch providing the conclusion by vice-chairman Bui Xuan Cuong on the short-term apartment rental model.

He acknowledged the efforts of the municipal Department of Construction in researching and compiling reports on the use of apartments for tourist lodging, a relatively new and complex issue that intersects with multiple areas of Vietnamese law.

For apartments in mixed-use buildings, where there is demand for short-term tourist accommodation rentals, the department has been tasked with coordinating with the municipal Department of Justice to comprehensively review relevant legislation.

This includes laws on housing, residency, tourism, as well as regulations concerning fire safety, business registration, tax declaration and invoicing, and public order.

Based on this review, the city will issue official guidance outlining the necessary legal and operational conditions for using condos as tourist accommodations.

In addition, the Department of Construction will work with the municipal Department of Public Security and local authorities to publish a list of apartment buildings that qualify for short-term tourist lodging rentals.

For residential complexes not designed for mixed-use purposes, but where there is still interest in tourism-related rentals, the Department of Construction will collaborate with the Department of Tourism to research and propose a development plan.

This proposal, to be submitted to higher authorities for approval, will include strategies to balance economic and tourism growth with the need to maintain safety and security for long-term residents.

All assigned tasks must be completed before September 15.

The municipal Department of Construction had previously proposed a pilot program allowing short-term rentals in apartment units, to be implemented over a 12-month period starting from September 1.