Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Construction has proposed to demolish two apartment buildings on 440 Tran Hung Dao Street and 128 Hai Ba Trung Street.

According to the department, both of the apartments are dangerous to the residents. The structures are a risk to everyone. The residents need to be evacuated and the buildings must be demolished immediately.

Apartment buildings in HCM City

In the report, the department also suggested that the apartment building on 155-157 Bui Vien Street should also be evacuated. The building has deteriorated severely and shouldn't be used.

According to the regulations, after the Department of Construction reported the inspection results to the city people's committee, the city authorities will notify and send the results to the building's owners. The HCM City People's Committee then make plans to renovate or rebuild the buildings.

In June 2016, the Ministry of Construction has started the first step to deal with out-dated structures across the country by inspecting and classifying old apartment buildings.

There are also hundreds of old buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. Thousands of households live in fear of building collapse. They endure leaking roofs, and water seepage which is causing walls and stairwells to fail. Many of the apartments, some dating back to the early 1960s, are too small and families have to cook in the hallways, creating potential fire hazards, while wet clothes hang on outside lines dangerously close to electricity cables.

HCM City authorities plan to demolish 70 apartment buildings and rebuild 61. But progress has been slow and has fallen behind the pressure of urban development and failed to meet the needs of existing residents.