Appallingly small living spaces put Hong Kong to shame
The most vulnerable in society not only have to pay high rents for tiny homes, but are often ignored by a government sitting on a mountain of cash
If there is anything that puts Hong Kong to shame, it is the appallingly tiny spaces that so many people have to live in. Despite the government’s pledge to provide affordable housing, many are still living in caged bed spaces, partitioned units and rooftop shacks. The situation sits oddly with our claim to be Asia’s world city.
The infamous subdivided flats – in which a single unit is carved up into multiple living spaces with little regard to fire and structural safety – is not new. But when the squalid environment of such “homes” was the subject of a photo exhibition, the images – some of which appeared on the back page of this newspaper recently – still came as a shock.
Some 200,000 people are estimated to be living in such inhuman conditions. In case of fire, these units are potential death traps.
Adding to the woes is that these living spaces are by no means cheap. For instance, a 70 sq ft cubicle in Tsuen Wan can cost HK$3,850 a month, or HK$55 per square foot.
The rent increase in recent years has also gone over the roof. A study by a concerned group found that rents for such subdivided units jumped 13.6 per cent over just one year, almost double that of other private flats. That such wretched dwellings can fetch such high rents is a blot on this city.