Hidden Reality: Life in Hong Kong's Cage Homes.
Summary
TLDRThe video script presents a stark contrast between the bustling financial hub and the hidden struggles of Hong Kong's underprivileged. Despite its reputation for modern architecture and high living standards, the city grapples with economic inequality, with approximately 1.2 million people living below the poverty line. The narrative delves into the reality of living in 'sky slums' and 'cage homes,' where residents endure cramped, poorly ventilated conditions in makeshift rooftop houses or subdivided flats. The government's efforts to address this issue are complicated by a shortage of affordable housing and a growing demand, exacerbated by the city's dense population and limited land. The video also highlights the stories of individuals like Law Fug's family, who have lived in these conditions for over a decade, and the former real estate employee Alan, who has turned to farming in a bid to revive Hong Kong's agricultural past. The piece concludes by acknowledging the simple aspirations of these residents for basic human needs and the harsh reality that for some, these dreams may remain unfulfilled.
Takeaways
- 🏙️ Hong Kong is a major financial and business hub with modern high-rise buildings, tourist attractions, and shopping areas, but it also has a side that many do not see.
- 🏡 There are people living in makeshift homes on rooftops of buildings, in 20-story buildings without elevators, which are dangerous and illegal.
- 👵 A middle-aged woman has lived in such a rooftop house for over 10 years and refuses to move, even with the opportunity for public housing.
- 💰 Hong Kong has a growing economic disparity, being one of the most economically unequal and expensive cities to live in, with the world's most expensive real estate.
- 📉 20 percent of Hong Kong's population, about 1.2 million people, live below the poverty line.
- 🏠 At least 170,000 people live in subdivided flats, also known as 'coffin homes' or 'box houses,' which are small, cramped, and lack privacy and ventilation.
- 🚫 The government banned cage homes but was replaced by coffin homes, which are even more cramped and lack basic necessities like sunlight and fresh air.
- 👷♂️ Many workers, especially those from China, lost their jobs due to the economic shift from industrial to service sectors and are not entitled to social welfare or public housing.
- 🏘️ Public housing is in high demand and not easily obtained; it is prioritized for families, leaving middle-aged and older individuals often last on the list.
- 🌾 Some people are returning to farming, trying to revive agriculture in areas that were once important agricultural regions but were abandoned.
- 🌃 The streets of Hong Kong are crowded, and some people find it more comfortable to sleep on the streets, highlighting the dire need for living space and a place to breathe.
Q & A
What is the alternative living arrangement for low-income people in Hong Kong where rents are high?
-An alternative living arrangement for low-income people in Hong Kong is living on the roof of a building, which is dangerous and illegal.
What is the term used to describe the rooftop houses in Hong Kong?
-The rooftop houses in Hong Kong are sometimes referred to as 'sky slums'.
What is the approximate usable living area for each family in a shared flat in Hong Kong?
-In a shared flat in Hong Kong, the total usable living area is approximately 10 square meters per family.
What are the 'box houses' in Hong Kong, and why are they a concern?
-Box houses are small, cramped living spaces in Hong Kong that lack privacy. They are a concern due to their size, lack of ventilation, and the absence of natural light.
What is the historical context of 'cage homes' in Hong Kong?
-Cage homes in Hong Kong have been around since the 1950s and 60s when the population was growing due to the immigration of Chinese workers. They resemble livestock coops and were eventually banned by the government.
What is the term used for the small living spaces that replaced the banned cage homes in Hong Kong?
-The term used for the small living spaces that replaced the banned cage homes is 'coffin homes'.
What is the economic disparity like in Hong Kong?
-Hong Kong is one of the world's most economically unequal cities with a significant gap between the wealthy and the poor, and it has the world's most expensive real estate.
What percentage of Hong Kong's population lives below the poverty line?
-Around 20 percent of Hong Kong's population, or about 1.2 million people, live below the poverty line.
What is the situation regarding public housing in Hong Kong?
-More than 50 percent of people in Hong Kong live in public housing, which is cheaper than market prices. However, obtaining allocated housing or a public housing project is not easy due to high demand and strict qualification requirements.
Why do some people choose to leave the city and return to farming?
-Some people choose to leave the city and return to farming due to the overcrowding and the desire to reconnect with the land and a simpler way of life.
What is the current trend in Hong Kong regarding the interest in farming?
-In recent years, there has been a growing interest in farming among Hong Kong people, with some even leaving their city lives to return to agriculture.
What is the main concern for the urban poor in Hong Kong regarding their living conditions?
-The main concern for the urban poor in Hong Kong is meeting basic human needs, such as having a safe and affordable place to live.
Outlines
🏙️ Hong Kong's Hidden Side: Rooftop Dwellings and Sky-Slums
This paragraph introduces a contrasting view of Hong Kong, known as a financial and business hub with modern architecture and tourist attractions. However, it highlights the existence of a 20-story building without an elevator, where people live in makeshift rooftop houses, indicating the city's stark economic disparity. The owner of one such house, a middle-aged woman, has lived there for over a decade despite the illegality and danger. Hong Kong's economic inequality is underscored by the fact that around 20% of its population lives below the poverty line, with at least 170,000 people residing in similar conditions. The paragraph also mentions 'shared flats' or 'box houses,' which are cramped, lack privacy, and have poor ventilation, and 'cage homes,' a type of housing that was prevalent in the 1950s and 60s but has since been banned, leading to the emergence of 'coffin homes.'
🏚️ The Cramped Quarters of Hong Kong's Coffin Homes
The second paragraph delves into the reality of living in 'coffin homes,' which are around 20 square meters with 14 stacked units, each housing a single person. These units serve as both sleeping and storage spaces, with severe lack of sunlight and ventilation. The narrative describes how this type of housing operates as an underground business, mutually beneficial to both landlords and tenants, and is particularly popular among illegal immigrants who work long hours and find it convenient to live in the city. The paragraph also touches upon the challenges faced by migrant workers who, due to a 2004 law, must reside in Hong Kong for seven years before being eligible for public housing. It concludes with the observation that those who rent cage or coffin homes are often middle-aged and older, and are the last to be considered for government housing support.
🌾 A Return to Agriculture: Reviving Hong Kong's Farmland
The third paragraph contrasts the urban density with a movement back to farming roots. It tells the story of Alan, a former real estate employee, who has turned to farming in Lantao Island's largest paddy field. This field had been abandoned but is now being revitalized by Alan and his friends who left city life behind. The narrative highlights the challenges of changing perceptions about land use from building houses to farming and the hope of inspiring others to return to agriculture. Despite growing interest in farming among Hong Kong residents, there is a concern about the longevity of agricultural land in the face of development trends. The paragraph ends by reflecting on the crowded streets of Hong Kong and the unattainable dreams of basic human needs for many of its inhabitants.
💭 The Unfulfilled Dreams of Hong Kong's Urban Poor
The final paragraph is a poignant reflection on the unmet aspirations of Hong Kong's less privileged. It emphasizes that for some, the dream is not about luxury but the fulfillment of basic needs. The paragraph serves as a somber reminder of the harsh realities faced by many in the city, where even the most fundamental requirements for a decent living standard remain a dream for some, possibly an unattainable one.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡International Trading Port
💡High-Rise Buildings
💡Sky Village
💡Economic Inequality
💡Public Housing
💡Box House
💡Cage Home
💡Coffin Home
💡Vacant Land
💡Agricultural Revival
💡Urban Poor
Highlights
Hong Kong is a global financial and business hub known for its modern high-rise buildings, tourist attractions, and shopping areas.
The city has a hidden side, including a 20-story building with no elevator where people live in makeshift rooftop houses.
Living on rooftops is dangerous and illegal, yet some families persist due to the lack of affordable housing options.
Hong Kong has one of the world's highest economic inequalities and is one of the most expensive cities to live in.
Approximately 20 percent of Hong Kong's population, or 1.2 million people, live below the poverty line.
At least 170,000 people in Hong Kong live in 'cage homes' or 'coffin homes', which are small, cramped, and lack privacy and ventilation.
Cage homes were banned, leading to the emergence of 'coffin homes' as an alternative for low-income individuals.
The government's efforts to provide public housing are strained by the high demand and long waiting lists.
Hong Kong's mass transit system, while comprehensive, is becoming a financial burden for the urban poor.
Over 50 percent of Hong Kong residents live in public housing, which is cheaper than market prices.
Hong Kong's poverty rate has risen significantly from 11.9 percent in 1986 to 20.1 percent in 2006.
Many former factory workers, mostly from China, lost their jobs due to the shift from an industrial to a service-based economy and are not entitled to social welfare.
A 2004 law requires migrant workers to live in Hong Kong for at least seven years to be eligible for public housing.
The city's overcrowding has led some to return to their rural roots and engage in farming.
Alan, a former real estate employee, has led efforts to revive agriculture in Hong Kong's largest paddy field.
There is a growing interest in farming among Hong Kong residents as a way to counter urban density and high living costs.
Some Hong Kong residents prefer to sleep on the streets due to the lack of space and comfort in their homes.
For many, the dream is not luxury but meeting basic human needs, which for some remains unattainable.
Transcripts
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
international trading port
it's one of the world's Main Financial
and business hubs
they're a modern high-rise buildings
tourist attractions and popular shopping
areas
this is the Hong Kong that many people
know
[Music]
but today we'll show you another side of
Hong Kong it's a site that no one wants
to reveal or even see
this is a 20-story building with no
elevator
[Music]
we had to climb a narrow steep dark
staircase to the roof
there's no Garden or swimming pool on
this rooftop
but there is a house
the house has a toilet right next to the
kitchen area
and a small Nook for sleeping the owner
of the house is a middle-aged woman who
lives in this house alone
[Music]
um
some people call places like this the
sky is slum
a house like this is an alternative for
low-income people in a city where the
rents are high
living on the roof of a building is
dangerous and illegal
the Hong Kong government is trying to
evict them some families persist
because they have no choice law fug's
family were among the first to live on
the roof of this building
she said she'll definitely not move out
of her house in which she's lived for
more than 10 years even though she has
the opportunity to get a quota for
public housing which may have more space
foreign
although Hong Kong's GDP continues to
grow the gap between the wealthy and the
poor has also increased
Hong Kong is one of the world's most
economically unequal cities
it is also one of the world's most
expensive cities in which to live and
has the world's most expensive real
estate
Hong Kong has around 20 percent of the
poor living below the poverty line or
about 1.2 million people
at least 170 000 Hong Kong people live
in houses like this
another type of home in Hong Kong are
shared Flats
on average a flat unit is divided into
four or five sub-units
when divided the total usable living
area is approximately 10 square meters
per family
Hong Kong people call this type of
residence a box house
this kind of rented house is small
cramped and lacks privacy
another important issue is clean air and
ventilation these are basic necessities
for life
foreign
was an expansion by the owner who hoped
to earn more rent there are no windows
here to let in the light
the room is completely sealed because it
is next to the Neighbors box
when Lynn told us that she never sees
the sunlight when she wakes up in the
morning
oh
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thank you
another type of rented house in Hong
Kong is called the cage home
rental cages have been around since the
1950s and 60s
when the population was growing due to
the immigration of Chinese workers
at its peak there were five to six
hundred cage homes for rent
living in cages stacked on top of each
other which resemble livestock coops led
the government to ban this type of house
foreign
[Music]
banned cage home rentals there were
coffin homes instead
this room is about 20 square meters
there are 14 coffin-like boxes stacked
on top of each other
each box is home to one person
this room is used for sleeping and
storing personal belongings
the cramped space means some people have
to curl up
there's no window sunlight or
ventilation
this type of rented accommodation is
like an underground business which no
one wants to talk about
no one went to inform the authorities
because it was a mutual benefit for the
landlord and the tenant
[Music]
[Music]
foreign
homes are popular especially among
illegal immigrants
whether it's in a cage in a coffin or in
a box poor Hong Kong people need it as a
home
the main reason is all about making a
living
these people work in the city
some people have to work 12 hours a day
it's more convenient to live in the city
okay that is vegan bacon what
what but the government take down these
ruthless housing what they are building
is those
high rises long hand face somewhere like
this the long hand place before is these
glasses housing so you need something
that is not affordable
so the land must be not enough this is
not because the land is really not
enough in Hong Kong they are not plants
there are many vacant place where you
can support less serious flats are
everywhere in some circle in Long Grove
in Kun Kong everywhere but they awakened
why the people take it as a property to
invest to make money but not for the
basic need of people
yeah
Hong Kong's mass transit system is
convenient and comprehensive the rising
cost however is a hardship for the urban
poor
with the population of nearly 8 million
and a land area of 1096 square
kilometers Hong Kong is one of the most
densely populated cities in the world
with an average of
6936 people per square kilometer
more than 50 percent of people here live
in public housing which is cheaper than
market prices
questions
allocated housing or a public housing
project cannot however be obtained
easily people who get a house like this
must be fully qualified
the high demand for housing has caused
some people to wait for a long time
she's qualified then she
also the blue car
it means she don't she doesn't know if
she is qualified or not
because the government also did not tell
her that she's not called
[Music]
Hong Kong's poverty rate Rose from 11.9
percent in 1986 to 20.1 percent in 2006.
Hong Kong has more than one million
workers who used to work in factories
when the economic structure changed from
industrial to service these people lost
their jobs
most of these workers are from China
they're not entitled to social welfare
or the right to rent public housing
a law which came into effect in 2004
requires migrant workers to live in Hong
Kong for at least seven years to be
eligible
getting public housing is difficult and
takes time
people with the family are the top
priority for the government when
reviewing and granting houses
[Music]
this is why those who rent cage or
coffin homes tend to be middle-aged and
older
the ones who tend to be the last on the
government's list
on the other hand the overcrowding in
the city has caused a group of people to
leave the city and go back to their
Roots farming
foreign
[Music]
before the British occupation a modern
city like Hong Kong was farmland
this land is Hong Kong's largest Paddy
field
the owner is Alan a former employee of
one of Hong Kong's largest real estate
firms together with his friends who left
the city to grow rice
uh everybody said it's crazy man you
don't think so it's because this is a
great piece of land that we would like
to see if we can bring agriculture back
in Hong Kong like what we have half a
centuries or a centuries ago
this vast Paddy field on lantau island
was once an important agricultural area
of Hong Kong
was abandoned after all the migrants
went to work in the city
so you start to bring back life and
agriculture around here yep that's what
we call we try to
we happen to take the village
we do farming activities and then we
want more people to come back and do the
same thing or some other things you
think people coming back
we try we try but I I can see that they
started to have some feeling about the
place and some imaginations so so maybe
one day they will decide that they will
come back and do something I don't know
more people starting to come back
again and again
to look at the place so this is a good
sign
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
when we first came here to start our
reforming
um people will ask when are you going to
grow to build a house
and uh they don't expect us to to to to
really do farming in here and after two
years when they constantly seeing us um
transporting produce out they start
asking hey guys what are you growing
start to have a different thinking
mentality about what uh what what plan
can be used for and this is this is very
very to me is very amazing and and
people start to change
[Music]
good
in recent years Hong Kong people have
become more interested in farming
Allen said that when he started farming
he had to persuade the owner to rent it
to him and his friends the concern
however is how long the Paddy field will
last amid a Land Development Trend
[Music]
the streets of Hong Kong are always
crowded day and night
some tourists and passes by have remarks
that Hong Kong's nightlife is vibrant
the fact that Hong Kong people like to
go out at night could be however because
they want to find a place where they can
breathe
these people will return to the house
when it's time for bed
for some even sleeping on the street may
be more comfortable
um
oh
[Music]
I am
foreign
for them their dream is not a big house
or a green lawn and a swimming pool
rather it's a dream of meeting basic
human needs
[Music]
and for some it's a dream that may never
come true
[Music]
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