Hongkongers were relieved when the government cracked down on old buildings jammed with illegally partitioned flats early this year. Two deadly fires last year had roused public concern, and the forced demolition seemed reasonable - except to many of those who were forced to leave their humble homes.
But for many former tenants, their living conditions have become even worse: smaller units, with higher rents and located in remote districts. Landlords, seeing the surge in demand for subdivided units, have raised rents by 20 to 30 per cent.
There was 'utterly no settlement plan in place for [such tenants]', said Sze Lai-shan of the Society for Community Organisation (Soco), which together with other organisations say the government must devise a policy for tenants forced to resettle.
'[The government] must provide a place for these people to move to. They are living in decrepit and dangerous buildings because they can't afford to live anywhere else. No one would choose to live like this.'
Soco is a non-governmental organisation involved in helping cubicle dwellers who have to relocate.
Raymond Ng and Lee Oi-lin were among those forced to leave illegally partitioned factory flats on Larch Street, Tai Kok Tsui, in March. Three months later, both find themselves in even worse housing. Ng lives in a tiny, crowded temporary shelter in Tuen Mun, and Lee inhabits a bug-infested hut in a remote part of Yuen Long.