HCMC – HCMC will inspect 186 aging apartment buildings to determine whether they can remain in use or must be demolished.

The buildings, comprising 223 housing blocks, will be assessed under a plan assigned to the Department of Construction, the Department of Finance and local authorities, according to the Government’s news website (baochinhphu.vn). The city has approved the Construction Department’s proposal to carry out structural evaluations. Local authorities that have not prepared cost estimates have been told to do so for budget allocations. The Construction Department will guide the inspection process and verify results submitted by assessment units. Inspection reports must detail the condition of each building, identify those requiring demolition or continued use, and estimate their remaining lifespan. The city will cover 50% of the cost of external technical infrastructure. Of the 186 buildings, 56 have never been assessed and 130 require re-inspection. The buildings are located in 32 wards, with the highest numbers in Cho Lon (29), An Dong (24), Ben Thanh (20) and Tan Dinh (18). Most buildings inspected in 2016-2017 were rated grade C, meaning they require monitoring but were not classified as unsafe under the 2023 Housing Law. These will be reassessed. Buildings previously rated grade B will not be re-inspected. The construction department will issue conclusions on whether each building can remain in use or must be demolished. HCMC has 474 apartment buildings built before 1975 with varying levels of deterioration. Sixteen are classified as grade D, 116 as grade C and 332 as grade B.