Public services delivered to homes and neighborhoods
One evening during the first week of July, after finishing their regular workday, officials and civil servants from the Public Administrative Service Center of Ba Diem Commune began a second shift outside normal office hours.
Their destinations were the homes of resident Le Thi Ngoc Cam and resident Do Minh Tuan, whose families have been affected by the Le Quang Dao Road (formerly National Highway 22) expansion project and need assistance with procedures related to home repairs, construction permits and home renovations.
Inside each residence, a simple but effective "service counter" was set up. Officials from the commune's Public Administrative Service Center guided residents through the documents and procedures required for construction permits, home repairs and renovations. They also explained the required documentation, how to complete application forms, the processing steps and regulations related to the project.
After receiving one-on-one guidance at home, resident Le Thi Ngoc Cam expressed satisfaction with the commune government's proactive and people-centered approach. She said receiving assistance at home after office hours reduced the need to travel and wait in line, while giving residents confidence that their applications were correctly prepared from the outset.
Director Nguyen Van Hau of the Public Administrative Service Center of Ba Diem Commune said the center is providing after-hours, home-based administrative support from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday throughout July 2026 for households affected by the Le Quang Dao Road project.
He said offering services outside normal working hours reflects a flexible approach that better accommodates residents' work and daily schedules.
With the same goal of improving convenience, the Public Administrative Service Center of Thai My Commune has launched a home-based signature authentication service.
After receiving requests, particularly from policy beneficiaries, people with meritorious service to the revolution, elderly residents, people with disabilities and others with mobility difficulties, commune officials visit residents' homes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as well as outside office hours.
Leaders of the center said most signature authentication requests involve authorization to collect pensions, social allowances and other government benefits. The model aims to improve the quality of public administrative services, shorten processing times and enhance the commune's administrative reform performance.
Local administrations improve service quality
Since June, community gathering places across neighborhoods in An Hoi Dong Ward have become busy every weekend as members of the ward's "Digital Summer" youth volunteer team, together with the ward's Public Administrative Service Center, help residents complete administrative procedures online.
Nguyen Thi Xuan, a resident of Neighborhood 24 in An Hoi Dong Ward, said she was delighted to submit her application online and receive an appointment slip without having to visit the ward's Public Administrative Service Center.
She said having youth volunteers and ward officials come directly to neighborhoods to teach residents how to use online public services has made administrative procedures much more convenient.
Meanwhile, the Public Administrative Service Center of Hoc Mon Commune has introduced a "Public Services at Hamlets" model.
Nguyen Thi Thuy Van, Deputy Director of the commune's Public Administrative Service Center, said the initiative focuses on 11 online public services covering civil registration, construction, land administration, judicial affairs, and culture and social affairs.
Local officials and youth volunteers help residents use their mobile devices to create online accounts, submit applications electronically, make online payments, track application status and use digital platforms for administrative procedures.
So far, the model has assisted hundreds of residents, with many applications being submitted and processed entirely online.
The initiative has received positive feedback from residents. Elderly people have welcomed the attentive support provided directly in their communities, while those less familiar with technology have been guided step by step, from creating online accounts to completing their applications.
These initiatives, which bring administrative services closer to residents, demonstrate that administrative reform in Ho Chi Minh City is becoming increasingly practical, with effectiveness and public satisfaction serving as the key measures of success. They also reflect a shift in the government's service mindset, with authorities proactively reaching out to residents to process applications, provide guidance, accompany citizens and resolve issues at the grassroots level.
