Rethinking Coffin homes means rethinking life: A double‑edged transition for Hong Kong residents

Hong Kong’s “cage homes” and “coffin homes” are among the smallest living spaces in t​he world. These units, often just 15 to 20 square feet, are metal mesh bunk beds stacked inside subdivided apartments.

Thousands of low income residents live in these conditions because of the city’s severe housing crisis.

These cramped and often unsanitary homes began appearing in the 1950s. Today, they stand as a clear sign of inequality in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

A new housing rule

A new ordinance came into effect this month, aiming to improve living conditions in subdivided flats. The rules now require that each unit must have a minimum floor area of at least eight square metres, include a window and provide a private toilet for residents.

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These changes are meant to make homes safer and more livable. But they also bring new challenges for people already struggling to afford housing.

Life inside tiny spaces

Around 220,000 people in Hong Kong live in subdivided units, cage homes, or illegal rooftop flats. Many of these homes lack proper ventilation, have no windows, and are often infested with cockroaches, rats, and bed bugs.

Most of these units are located in older buildings in busy areas. While the conditions are poor, the location allows residents to stay close to work and schools.

For many, daily life is a struggle.

“It’s so hot it feels like you’re getting heatstroke,” told Mr. Wu to CNN, a middle aged man living in a subdivided flat without air conditioning in Sham Shui Po. Inside his narrow room, packed with a small bed and scattered trinkets, the heat becomes unbearable by mid afternoon.

Mr. Wu said the heat often keeps him awake. “I feel very helpless,” he said. “I can’t even get a single good night’s sleep. I just want a good sleep.”

The cost of change

While the new rules aim to improve health and dignity, they also risk pushing people out of their homes. Rents are rising, even for the smallest and poorest units.

This is happening for two main reasons. One is changes in the housing market. The other is new planning laws. Both are tied to Hong Kong’s changing relationship with mainland China.

People who are forced to leave their homes can apply for transitional housing, but their stay cannot exceed two years and rents increase after the first year, making it difficult for many to continue.

A difficult choice

This situation shows a double edged reality. On one side, better housing standards can improve health, safety, and dignity. On the other side, many residents may not be able to afford these improved conditions.

The result is uncertainty, where some may be pushed into even worse or illegal living arrangements.

As The Economist writes, "When the dust settles, they will still have to stump up for eight square metres and a loo. If they cannot afford that sum, they may instead resort to an illegal sleeping place or curl up in a wooden cabinet too small for a goldfish bowl."

The Guardian reports, "Hong Kong is famous for its cramped and tiny apartments, or “shoebox housing”, a name that somehow still doesn’t fully convey the claustrophobic nature of the spaces. New reforms announced this year attempt to tackle the problem by mandating major improvements and regulations to be in place by the end of this year."

What home really means

At its core, this issue is not just about housing policy. It is about what a home means. For many residents, even the smallest space offers a sense of stability, location, and survival.

Improving these homes is necessary. But unless affordability is addressed, better living conditions may remain out of reach for the very people who need them the most.