Coffin cubicles, caged homes and subdivisions … life inside Hong Kong’s grim low income housing
Behind the city’s glittery facade is a cramped and sometimes squalid underbelly where more than 200,000 people live day-by-day
Tony, 39, who quit school after his first year of secondary school and left home in his teens, has been living in subdivided flats for most of his life.
He lives in a 500 square foot apartment with 21 other residents. He spends his nights cooped up in a tiny space, which barely fits a single-sized mattress, trying to fall asleep while his neighbours squabble over whose turn it is to use the bathroom.
“I dread going home, but I still need a place to sleep,” Tony, who only gave his first name, said, fearing he would be kicked out.
“The most difficult thing about living here, is not being able to breathe in fresh air. It’s suffocating,” he added.
Tony’s entire living space is a 15 square foot enclosure stacked on top of others like cupboards, with only a metal air vent to let the apartment’s air conditioning seep through.
When asked about his hopes and dreams, Tony said with a shrug: “I just want to find a job. Live in public housing.”