Hong Kong has announced plans to build more affordable homes over the next decade. By 2027, it plans to add 280,000 public homes and 180,000 private homes. Until then, parts of Hong Kong will remain as claustrophobic as ever.
And Hong Kong's youth face a similar plight. Until they can move up the ranks at their jobs, thousands of newly employed workers turn to ultra-tight spaces as their first homes.
The same goes for those with high medical expenses, as housing costs can quickly eat into people's limited savings. Hong Kong's housing prices are currently at an all-time high, with the average price per square foot now hovering around $1,380.
Source: Fortune
For the country's elderly, many of whom are unemployed, the units represent one of the only options to live affordably. Lam and Kitty Au, 60- and 63-year-old residents, must sleep in separate units.
If there is one silver lining, it's that residents can make use of a common area that offers a touch more space, including a toilet and sink. Still, for two dozen people, the resources quickly spread thin.
The rooms are windowless and barely afford enough space to fully stretch out. People like Wong have the option to apply for the relative comforts of public housing, but he says he's yet to hear back on his requests.
Source: Business Insider
Wong's rent of $226 would be enough to share a one-bedroom apartment in many American towns (though admittedly it would only be enough to rent a closet in big cities like New York City and San Francisco).
Source: CBS News