Key facts
- Hong Kong's average public housing wait time is 5.5 years.
- Nearly 200,000 people live in subdivided units ('劏房').
- Some 'cage homes' are rented for up to 2400 yuan per month.
- Average per capita living space in Hong Kong is less than 15 square meters.
Hong Kong's housing crisis is forcing many residents into cramped and undignified living conditions, with some living in subdivided units or 'cage homes'. The average public housing wait time has reached 5.5 years, leaving many struggling to afford even basic shelter in one of the world's most expensive property markets. A visitor to a transitional housing estate in Tung Yuen Long reflected on the meaning of 'home' and building mental health-friendly communities, recalling interviews with families in inadequate housing nine years prior. The city's housing conditions are described as significantly worse than many mainland Chinese cities, with prices being three times higher than in Beijing and Shanghai. Typical four-person households live in 30-40 square meters, often with bunk beds or sleeping on the floor, while a two-bedroom apartment of 40-50 square meters is considered enviable. Nearly 200,000 people live in '劏房' (subdivided units), some as small as 4 square meters and rented for 1600-3200 yuan per month. Some residents live in 'cage homes', enclosed by wire mesh, with rent increasing to approximately 2400 yuan per month. These 'cage dwellers' are often new immigrants or the elderly, and their living conditions have been criticized as an extreme insult to human dignity.