Dong Nai develops modern resettlement communities

Dong Nai has been implementing and preparing to roll out numerous infrastructure, industrial, and urban development projects, resulting in a significant demand for resettlement areas. While resettlement sites in the past were mainly built to provide accommodation for households whose land had been acquired, the province is now planning and investing in these areas to develop them into modern residential communities and urban zones.

Inside the Loc An – Binh Son resettlement area in Long Thanh commune, which has gradually developed into a modern residential community. Photo: Hoang Loc

The approach aims to create stable, long-term living environments for residents, under the principle that new homes must be equal to or better than their former homes.

Resettlement is more than housing

Dong Nai is one of the localities in southern Vietnam with the fastest pace of infrastructure development, with a series of key projects such as airports, expressways, ring roads, industrial parks, and new urban areas. In this context, resettlement for affected residents is regarded as the decisive stage in site clearance for project implementation.

Based on legal requirements and lessons drawn from past experience, the province has changed its mindset toward the development of resettlement areas. Rather than merely allocating residential land or housing, current resettlement zones are planned as new residential communities with coordinated infrastructure, enabling residents to stabilize their lives more quickly.

Transport infrastructure has been completed at a resettlement area in Phuoc An commune.

Speaking at the Provincial People’s Council meeting in late 2025, Deputy Secretary of Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee (PPC) and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Ut noted that in 2026, the province will continue land clearance for a range of transport, industrial park, and urban development projects. He emphasized that Dong Nai’s guiding principle is to ensure that resettled residents receive new living conditions that are at least equal to, or better than, their previous homes. To this end, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Plan No. 118/KH-UBND in 2025 on investment in resettlement areas for the 2026–2030 period.

One of the requirements, and indeed one of the stated objectives, is that resettlement sites must be located in convenient areas and have a full range of infrastructure, including transport, electricity supply, water supply and drainage, green spaces, and social infrastructure such as schools, medical facilities, and community spaces.

In recent years, Dong Nai has attached growing importance to planning and building infrastructure for resettlement areas in a modern, synchronized, and civilized direction. A typical example is the Loc An – Binh Son resettlement area, which serves the Long Thanh International Airport project and several other projects. Its technical infrastructure has been fully developed, with the internal road network, electricity and water supply systems, a wastewater treatment area, and public facilities all completed. In addition, social infrastructure such as schools, green belts, and community houses has also been planned to meet residents' daily living needs.

A nearly 50-hectare resettlement urban model under construction in Phuoc Tan ward.

Meanwhile, a nearly 50-hectare resettlement area now under development in Phuoc Tan ward is envisioned as an urban area. According to Le Thanh Dien, Deputy Director of the Provincial Land Development Center and the project's investor, the resettlement area is planned with a low construction density, an internal road system, parks, schools, and other public facilities. In the future, it will not only provide residential land for residents in the locality but also become a new residential community with synchronized infrastructure, commensurate with nearby commercial urban areas, thereby helping expand the province’s urban space.

Creating stable and sustainable living environments

The synchronized development of both technical and social infrastructure in resettlement areas is considered a key factor in helping residents quickly stabilize their lives after relocation. Upon moving to new homes, people can easily access essential services such as electricity, water supply, education, healthcare, and other daily amenities. At the same time, improved transport connections with surrounding areas facilitate travel, trade, and economic activities for residents in the locality.

Thieu Thi Minh Huong, Chairwoman of Phuoc Tan ward People’s Committee, said that, in addition to infrastructure development, relevant authorities will actively support residents in completing land procedures, building houses, and accessing public services in their new locations. The goal is to help people soon settle down and gradually develop sustainable livelihoods.

Resettlement areas equipped with modern, synchronized infrastructure systems are expected to lay the foundation for sustainable communities, thereby contributing to the province’s overall development.

Ho Van Ha, Member of the PPC and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, has repeatedly stressed that Dong Nai will implement the development of resettlement areas and social housing projects in a systematic and well-planned manner. In the short term, these areas will help address housing needs for thousands of households, while in the long run, they may evolve into residential communities and satellite urban zones.

Following the province’s direction, local authorities are continuing to review demand and propose investment in resettlement areas not only for single projects but for multiple projects simultaneously. These sites are planned in connection with transport systems and urban development orientations in each locality. Once residents settle down and commercial and service activities grow, such areas are expected to become new population centers, helping expand urban space and promote socio-economic development.

Practical experience from the development of resettlement areas in recent years shows that shifting the approach from simply providing housing to creating comprehensive living spaces can bring dual benefits. When resettlement areas are prepared in advance of land acquisition, residents tend to show greater confidence and consensus. As a result, one of the most significant bottlenecks in project implementation, land clearance, can be effectively addressed, allowing projects to move forward and be completed as planned.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho