Guangzhou's Fuli Ju residential community is not particularly large. On the first day of the 2026 New Year, the Fuli Ju homeowners' committee arrived as promised with nearly 300,000 yuan in public income dividends, distributing 600 yuan to each of the nearly 500 households. This years-long commitment and effort allowed all homeowners to receive the most tangible and heartwarming New Year's surprise at the year's beginning.

The dividend distribution is meant to reflect the happiness of being in charge of one's own community. On January 2, Zhou Hongxi, the director of the Fuli Ju homeowners' committee, explained that the committee was formally established in August 2019 and has since shouldered the responsibility of safeguarding the common interests of all homeowners. In 2020, the committee tackled difficulties head-on, successfully replaced the original pre-establishment property manager through arduous legal action, and recovered 162,827.36 yuan in public income, securing the "common wallet" for the homeowners.

In January 2021, the committee innovatively distributed a 100-yuan dividend to each household, setting a pioneering benchmark in Guangzhou and across China for returning community public income to homeowners, transforming the principle that "community public income belongs to all homeowners" from a mere statement on paper into reality. By January 2022, the dividend amount had doubled to 200 yuan per household, and this visible, tangible benefit gave homeowners a genuine sense of belonging and happiness from "managing their own community."

The primary sources of the community's public income are fees from ground-level parking spaces and a small portion of elevator advertising revenue. Last July, a homeowners' general meeting voted to approve and publicly disclose the "Matters Concerning the Use of Public Income," which determined the current distribution plan. Homeowners who missed the distribution on New Year's Day can collect their share during office hours at the community property management office until the deadline of January 15, 2026.

While the amount is not huge, it represents the best reward for the committee's years of dedicated advocacy and efforts to protect homeowners' rights, and it stands as a warm testament to the understanding and support of the vast majority of homeowners. Homeowners have been sharing the news on social media to express their understanding and support for the committee.

The increase from the initial 100-yuan dividend to the current 600-yuan payout reflects the committee's commitment to fulfilling its duties responsibly from start to finish. It is a vivid example of "sunlight transparency" in community governance and a manifestation of the warm, mutual support among neighbors. Beyond the tangible dividend returns, since its establishment, the committee has consistently prioritized improving residents' quality of life.

The committee took the lead in optimizing the community's environment for parking electric vehicles by planning spaces and standardizing management, effectively resolving previous parking difficulties, expanding living space, and reducing safety hazards. It also actively established an indoor table tennis room and created a convenient fitness area, making the community more livable and enjoyable.

It has been learned that another Guangzhou community, the Aoyuan Yangsheng Plaza in Qiaonan Street, Panyu District, also recently distributed dividends. According to a notice released by its homeowners' committee regarding the dividend distribution method, they distributed a total of approximately 1 million yuan around New Year's Day, with the dividend being applied as a credit covering 1.5 months of management fees. After being elected in 2018, this committee faced significant obstruction from various parties and only obtained official registration in August 2024 following multiple lawsuits.

Previously, other communities in Guangzhou, such as Yuexiu Lingnan Yazhu in Huangpu District, Zhuangshi Yingdie Lanwan Phase II in Panyu District, Yuxing Yuan in Liwan District, Junjing Garden in Tianhe District, and Pearl River Imperial Garden in Haizhu District, have also distributed dividends or used surplus funds for community renovations.

What are the characteristics of communities that can distribute dividends? Pan Chuanyong, Vice President of the Community Governance Branch of the Guangdong Provincial Project Management Society, who has long been engaged in property management research, pointed out that these dividend-distributing communities share several common traits. First, having a "functional homeowners' committee" is a prerequisite. All such communities have established standardized, financially independent committees that have successfully reclaimed or co-managed the public income accounts from the property managers.

Second, the sources of income are highly consistent. The "public income" primarily comes from utilizing common areas, such as parking fees (including revenue from newly added spaces and charging piles), elevator/lobby advertisements, swimming pool/shop/parcel locker rentals, and fees from vendor activities or stalls. Third, financial transparency is key. Funds are allocated only after annual audits and approval by the homeowners' general meeting, ensuring "every cent is visible, traceable, and manageable."

Fourth, dividend distribution is typically not a one-off event. Most communities have established a rolling mechanism of "current year income -> annual budget -> surplus return," creating a replicable, long-term model. Pan Chuanyong believes that the increasing number of communities able to distribute dividends indicates several things.

Firstly, the Civil Code clearly states that "income from common parts of a community belongs to all homeowners"; the key lies in whether homeowners can operationalize this legal right through the organizational vehicle of a homeowners' committee. Simultaneously, the combination of a "homeowners' committee + transparent accounting" is the shortest path to solving community governance challenges. The examples above show that if a committee is determined to uphold principles and skilled in management, even older communities can achieve a virtuous cycle of "no increase in management fees, upgraded services, and year-end dividends."

Furthermore, compared to the current situation in Guangzhou where only about 20% of communities have established effective homeowners' committees, many other areas still operate with unclear accounts, indicating significant untapped potential. Finally, the shift in mindset from "homeowners as bystanders" to "homeowners co-governing" is the true wealth behind dividend distribution. When residents realize they are not just "fee payers" but also "asset shareholders," community governance shifts from being "property manager-led" to "homeowners' general meeting-led," simultaneously improving the efficiency of grassroots governance and resident satisfaction.

In short, the "dividend" is merely the outcome. When legally endowed rights are activated through organization and systematization, a community can transition from "unilateral management by the property company" to "co-governance and shared benefits by homeowners," ultimately achieving a win-win situation of asset value preservation/appreciation and enhanced quality of living.