The Ma Tau Kok Community Living Room in Kowloon City District has officially commenced full operation, with a three-year plan to serve 350 subdivided flat households annually, totaling around 52,000 visits.
Opened in June, this is the fifth community living room launched this year, specifically catering to residents in subdivided units.
Spanning approximately 2,800 square feet, the lounge features essential facilities, including a shared kitchen, living room, and a learning area for students equipped with computers, internet access, and various electronic learning tools.
In addition, the community lounge will offer support services, including homework guidance, referrals to appropriate community resources, and counseling.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki highlighted that the city now has nine community lounges, collectively serving over 610,000 residents from 4,000 subdivided flat households annually.
Chan emphasized "key, heed and care" as the three main pillars of the community lounges, noting that these spaces foster collaboration among government, business, and community sectors.
Through breaking the traditional barriers to enhance care service in the city, Chan expressed his belief that this new facility will help visitors feel supported and respected.
Chan further highlighted positive reactions from the community living room, with some users spending about one-third of their time there. He expressed the hope that these spaces can serve as an extension of living space for residents in subdivided units.
During a recent power outage at I-Feng Mansions in the district, which affected over 1,000 households, the Ma Tau Kok Community Living Room opened its doors 24 hours a day to serve as a temporary refuge for residents.
Starry Lee Wai-king, Hong Kong's sole delegate to the National People's Congress Standing Committee and lawmaker for the Kowloon Central geographical constituency, highlighted the community living room's critical role in supporting the community.
On average, around 40 residents from subdivided flats stayed overnight in the room during the outage, with daily services assisting between 200 and 500 people.
The initiative demonstrated the community lounge’s ability to act as a reliable support system for residents in times of need.
