The People’s Committee of Ha Noi has requested to reclaim 39.2ha of investor-held land belonging to the city’s land fund, in order to construct public works.

The request is part of a document released last month directing the management of the city’s land and housing fund.

For the management and use of the housing fund and land fund, a December 2001 policy stipulates that if an investor purchases land from the land fund, at least 20 per cent of the land, or 30 per cent of housing constructed on the land, must be eventually handed over to the city to supplement the city’s housing supply.

From 2002 until now, the Government Inspectorate discovered that many projects constructed under these rules committed violations relating to management and use of land and housing funds in residential and urban areas. The investors haven’t yet relinquished the portion of their developments they owe the city, and now Ha Noi officials are seeking their share.

The land area not claimed by the city (that is, 80 per cent of residential land or 70 per cent of constructed housing) may be sold by the investor. But 50 per cent of all sales must be made to State agencies whose employees need housing.

The Ha Noi Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) has been tasked with urgently compiling records of the 39.2ha of land in order to determine which plots will be handed over to the city and whether site clearance has been completed as required.

DNRE needs to submit the reclamation decision to the committee, then assign the city’s Land Fund Development Centre (LFDC) to manage and protect for public purposes, and propose land use plans.

The deadline to complete these tasks is May 30, 2018.

DNRE is also responsible for supervising and reporting on the situation of land clearance for an additional 15.1ha on which investors did not complete ground clearance, in violation of city policy. This land will be used to develop public works.

At the same time, the department needs to clarify the implementation results and investigate why investors delayed to complete ground clearance. The department will also consider punishments for investors’ failure to implement ground clearance and give notice to the City People’s Committee before May 30.

DNRE must regularly coordinate with the Department of Construction, the Department of Planning and Architecture, the Department of Planning and Investment and the Department of Finance to synthesise the total land fund to be reclaimed from investors for social housing development projects in the city. Investors can repay the city by relinquishing physical land or housing, or by paying the amount of cash equivalent to the value of the land or housing.

The Ha Noi Inspectorate, the Department of Finance and the Taxation Department have the task of synthesising and handling the management of the land and funds reclaimed, conducting inspections and audits.— VNS