Following is a question by the Hon Vincent Cheng and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
 
Questions:
 
     The Pilot Programme on Community Living Room (the Programme) adopts a tripartite collaboration model of the Government, the business sector and the community to provide subdivided unit (SDU) households with additional living space and help them expand their social networks. There are views that the Government should review the effectiveness of the Programme and enable more people to benefit from services such as shared kitchens and shared learning spaces. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the number of additional Community Living Rooms (CLRs) planned for this year and the implementation timetable, and the measures in place to encourage active participation in the Programme from all sectors, including the establishment of CLRs in districts not currently covered by the Programme but with a relatively high concentration of SDU households;
 
(2) as the Government has stated that a key performance indicator set for the Programme is "enabling no less than 70 per cent of members to experience an enhancement in their living space, sense of belonging to the community and interpersonal networks after using the facilities in CLRs", of the respective performance evaluation results for each CLR; and
 
(3) as there are views that the Programme should be extended to cover a wider range of beneficiaries and that more diverse services and activities should be introduced, whether the Government will consider extending the Programme to low-income persons, among others, and providing members with information on government recreational and sports activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Pilot Programme on Community Living Room (the Pilot Programme) launched by the current-term Government is a key initiative for targeted poverty alleviation tailored to the needs of subdivided unit (SDU) households. Through the tripartite collaboration of the Government, the business sector and the community, the Pilot Programme is spearheaded by the Government, with premises provided by the business sector and operations run by non-governmental organisations commissioned through funding from the Community Care Fund. It provides SDU households with additional living space and helps them expand their social networks, thereby enhancing their living standard and sense of belonging to the community. My reply to the question raised by the Hon Vincent Cheng is as follows:
 
(1) Since the launch of the Pilot Programme at the end of 2023, a total of 13 CLRs have officially commenced operation. Five more CLRs will be set up, estimating a total of 18 CLRs by the end of this year. All of the existing CLRs are located in districts clustered with SDU households. When identifying suitable locations for new CLRs in the future, we will strive to target districts lacking such facilities to benefit more SDU households.
 
(2) The Government has set three key performance indicators for the Pilot Programme, with the target of enabling no less than 70 per cent of CLR members to experience an enhancement in three areas, namely their living space, sense of belonging to the community and social networks. In this connection, the Government commissioned a university research team for the evaluation. The results showed that the Pilot Programme has far exceeded the 70 per cent target in the above three areas.
 
(3) As reflected in the growing number of CLR members, the demand among SDU households for CLR services has yet to be fully met.
 
     In addition to providing basic facilities (including communal living rooms, pantries, study areas for students, and self-service washing and drying machines), many of the CLRs also have additional facilities such as children's play rooms, shower rooms, fitness areas, music rooms, multimedia activity rooms, and household goods swap nooks to enhance the quality of life of service users. Moreover, on-site social workers at CLRs will refer service users to appropriate community resources and services according to their needs, such as Integrated Family Service Centres, Integrated Children and Youth Services Centres, and Neighbourhood Elderly Centres. Information on various daily life aspects (such as health and sports, hygiene, and home safety) is provided, while different types of group activities (including stress management groups, parenting education programmes, and family mental health activities) are also offered. In other words, CLRs not only address the substandard living conditions of SDU households, but also provide diverse support to members living with the elderly, young kids and schoolchildren, as well as those serving as carers.
 
     The Government will continue to review the operation of CLRs and the changes in service demand among the public, allowing for timely consideration of whether to extend the service to other persons in need.

Ends/Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:50

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