Numerous state-owned properties in central Ho Chi Minh City, including valuable land and houses in prime areas, have been illegally rented out by managing units without public bidding. In addition, some companies renting these properties have accumulated significant arrears, according to the city’s Inspectorate.
This was revealed in the findings of the City Inspectorate regarding the management and use of state-owned houses, land, and assets in District 1 during the period of 2022-2023. Many of these properties are located in high-value areas such as Nguyễn Huệ, Đồng Khởi, and near Bến Thành Market, and have either been left vacant or rented out improperly.
Specifically, the District 1 Public Utility Company was entrusted by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to manage over 1,680 addresses of state-owned houses and land. Some properties have been sold to the public, while more than 1,400 properties have been handed over to the Center for Housing Management and Construction Appraisal under the Department of Construction.
However, 33 properties were left vacant, including seven locations on Nguyễn Huệ, Lê Lợi, and Bùi Viện Streets that have been unoccupied for over a year. These properties span thousands of square meters and are considered a waste of valuable resources. Over 30 properties have not been managed in accordance with the city’s approved plans.
The Thanh Tra report also found that the District 1 Public Utility Company did not manage the properties effectively, which led to nine properties being rented out to companies with arrears stretching over time. The total arrears for these properties now exceed VND 20 billion. These properties are located on Nguyễn Huệ, Trần Đình Xu, Ký Con, Lê Thánh Tôn, Pasteur, Calmette, Bùi Thị Xuân, Tôn Thất Đạm, and Nguyễn Thái Bình streets.
Moreover, the District 1 Public Utility Company was found to have rented out several properties without conducting public bidding. The rental agreements were not in accordance with the regulations for managing public assets, and pricing did not include necessary costs like management fees and industry profit, thus failing to meet the required transparency and market-based mechanisms.
Furthermore, the contracts lacked penalties for late payments and violations, which impacted the city’s revenue collection.
For properties under the management of District 1, including 186 addresses, the Thanh Tra report concluded that local units had rented out several properties improperly, with funds received from these rentals not being properly recorded.
The report revealed that the District 1 Sports Center had directly managed and rented out 32 locations across four properties on Huyền Trân Công Chúa, Nguyễn Du, and Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm streets, generating over VND 12.5 billion outside of official records. Additionally, the center had rented out five other properties for canteens and parking areas without city approval.
The District 1 Vocational Education and Training Center had rented properties on Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Bùi Thị Xuân, and Nguyễn Đình Chiểu streets without prior approval and without going through bidding processes.
The Bến Thành Market Management Board was also found to have rented out space and infrastructure at the market without following regulations, including not going through the proper bidding process and not having a city-approved asset usage plan. The total income generated from this practice amounted to over VND 1.9 billion.
The violations were attributed to the District 1 People’s Committee, the Director of the District 1 Public Utility Company, the deputy directors in charge, and other relevant individuals and organizations during the period in question. The city’s Inspectorate has called for legal action to recover the owed funds and state assets.
Source: Le Tuyet – Vnexpress.
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Source: Vietnam Insider