Hong Kong Launches Jordan Community Living Room to Support Subdivided Flat Tenants and Ethnic Minorities

Hong Kong authorities have unveiled the city's 16th Community Living Room in Jordan, aimed at supporting low-income families in subdivided units and local ethnic minority residents across the Yau Tsim Mong district. Speaking at Thursday's opening ceremony, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki underscored the facility's strategic importance in the administration's targeted anti-poverty campaign.

Chan emphasized that the Jordan launch is the seventh facility introduced this year, outperforming the Chief Executive's Policy Address commitment to set up six sites annually. The government plans to roll out at least two additional locations before the year ends to broaden its reach.

Yau Tsim Mong contains a high density of subdivided apartments alongside a large multicultural population. Spanning 3,200 square feet, the new space is expected to assist 400 households and handle roughly 60,000 visits each year. It operates alongside existing centers in Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei to bolster district-wide services.

To respect diverse cultural needs, the center offers separate cooking and dining gear for halal, non-halal, and vegetarian preparation. Residents also gain access to quiet study spots for youth, self-service laundry facilities, shower stalls, and dedicated children's play and reading zones.

Run by Hong Kong Children and Youth Services, the facility provides comprehensive social assistance alongside its physical amenities. Key programs include academic tutoring, welfare referrals, personal guidance, Cantonese, English, and IT training tailored for ethnic minorities, as well as community adaptation courses to build essential skills and drive social cohesion.

The site was made possible through sponsorship from Sino Group and the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, marking their fourth funded center to date. Chan added that the sponsors have pledged to fund Hong Kong’s flagship Sham Shui Po facility for an additional five years, ensuring its operation through 2031. Addressing local residents, Chan urged the neighborhood to treat the Jordan location as a secondary home to foster a unified, supportive community.