Elderly man sleeping in a small, cluttered room.
Share this @internewscast.com

HONG Kong residents crammed into so-called coffin homes sleep on tiny beds which fill entire rooms without enough space for luggage.

Over 200,000 residents in Hong Kong, China, have no choice but to live in overcrowded, poor conditions within minuscule, box-like spaces that offer just a few feet of personal space.

Elderly man sleeping in a small, cluttered room.
Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers continue to live in tiny cramped living spacesCredit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Person watching television in a small Hong Kong apartment.
An occupant watches television inside a subdivided residential unit, known as a ‘coffin home’Credit: Getty
Night view of Hong Kong residential buildings.
The tiny huts contrast to the city’s high-end luxury apartmentsCredit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Cramped Hong Kong apartment bathroom with shared toilet and sink.
A shared wash basin and toilet inside a ‘coffin home’Credit: Getty

The former British colony has topped the list for the world’s most unaffordable city for the 14th year running.

And it also suffers one of the worst inequality rates on the planet.

Its subdivided flats, barely big enough to squeeze in a double bed, have become notorious for eye-watering rents.

Last week, YouTuber Drew Binsky, 34, shared shocking footage from inside one of the cramped properties.

After witnessing the horrifying conditions, he dubbed it the “sad reality of life in HK”.

He revealed that tenants are coughing up around £217 a month for a space in a flat packed with 26 box-sized “coffin homes”.

Remarkable footage revealed a man reclining in his improvised cubicle, his possessions crammed against the walls and overflowing onto his slender bed.

A tiny TV sits at the foot of one resident’s bed, almost completely buried under a tangled mess of wires and plugs.

The exterior appears nearly entirely derelict, with many of the so-called homes wedged into crumbling tower blocks in run-down business districts.

Over the years, many photographers have captured the shocking scenes within the minuscule pads.

Nail-biting moment terrified boys dangle on edge of high rise building

Each pod measures just 15 to 18 square feet, barely enough room to lie down and stash belongings.

The airless, windowless cells leave tenants with a severe lack of ventilation during seasons of sweltering heat.

Many try to alleviate this problem by keeping their flimsy sliding doors open, sacrificing any shred of privacy.

Residents also have to share filthy, bug-infested toilets with dozens of neighbours.

The stench of damp and decay is also potent when living inside the cramped cells.

These confined living spaces starkly contrast with the opulence of the affluent in Hong Kong, including the middle class, who reside in hilltop villas or conventional apartments.

“Coffin homes” have long attracted the international media spotlight as a symbol of the city’s failed housing policies.

Two people resting in small, partitioned living spaces in Hong Kong.
Two residents sleeping in their own ‘coffin homes’Credit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Unemployed man lying on a bed in a small Hong Kong apartment, watching TV.
The infamous homes only have one roomCredit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Person using a smartphone in a small Hong Kong apartment.
The living spaces are a symbol of the city’s inequalityCredit: Getty

But Hong Kong officials have pledged to phase out the infamous “coffin homes” by 2049.

They have set new rules on minimum living space and safety standards for subdivided flats.

Local authorities said they have identified enough land to build 308,000 public housing units over the next decade.

Since July 2022, around 49,000 people have been moved into public rental housing, with another 18,400 units of temporary accommodation made available as a short-term fix.

Hong Kong was also known for its sprawling fortress which was once the most crowded city on Earth.

With some 50,000 people crammed into a few blocks of concrete jungle, Kowloon Walled City was an ungoverned place plagued by lawlessness.

The city was a wonder in itself – with thousands of families and businesses housed in some 300 interconnected high-rise buildings across 6.4 acres of land.

Haunting pictures showed the grim reality of the concrete jungle, which existed as a Chinese territory, with narrow tower blocks packed tight against each other.

The astonishing scenes echo living standards in Manila, where slums are among the most tightly packed in the world.

Extraordinary aerial images shed light on just how crowded the shanty towns really are in the Philippines capital.

Interior of a Hong Kong coffin home.
There is barely enough room to store possessionsCredit: Getty
A retired waiter sleeping in his small Hong Kong apartment.
Hong Kong officials have pledged to phase out the rooms by 2049.Credit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Convicted illegal immigrant child killer who murdered infant son arrested in Twin Cities ICE sweep

ICE Operation in Twin Cities Leads to Arrest of Convicted Child Killer and Illegal Immigrant

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently revealed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement…
Melodee Buzzard disappearance: New surveillance photos show missing California girl, 9, in possible disguise

New Surveillance Images Suggest Possible Disguise in Case of Missing 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard in California

On Friday, California authorities unveiled new surveillance footage in the ongoing search…
Ontario premier says he'll pull ad that upset Trump so trade talks between Canada and US can resume

Ontario Premier Withdraws Controversial Ad to Reopen Canada-US Trade Dialogues

TORONTO (AP) — The Premier of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, announced…
FBI Director Kash Patel calls Kensington drug takedown 'how you safeguard American cities'

FBI Director Kash Patel Hails Kensington Drug Operation as a Model for Urban Safety

On Friday, the FBI and federal prosecutors revealed a “landmark” indictment targeting…
SNAP benefits November: Donald Trump admin. won't tap contingency fund for food aid amid government shutdown 2025, memo says

Trump Administration Withholds SNAP Contingency Funds During 2025 Government Shutdown, Memo Reveals

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has decided against using approximately $5 billion…
Fetterman, McCormick Unite in Bipartisan Push to Reopen Government

Fetterman and McCormick Lead Bipartisan Charge to End Government Shutdown

On Thursday, Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) stood united…
'I'm not afraid of anything anymore': St. Augustine pastor reflects one year after brutal stabbing

St. Augustine Pastor Finds Courage and Resilience One Year After Surviving Brutal Stabbing

“Stabbings are not something that happen at breakfast,” remarked Rev. Matt Marino,…
Nelly Furtado stepping away from performing for 'the foreseeable future'

Nelly Furtado Announces Hiatus from the Stage: What’s Next for the Pop Star?

More than a year after unveiling her seventh studio album “7,” Nelly…
Family matriarch dies day after rescue from remote island that saw family swim ashore to escape boat fire

Tragic Turn: Family Matriarch Passes Away After Dramatic Rescue from Remote Island Following Boat Fire

A day after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, a woman…
MAD DADS plans justice walk and community search for answers in death of young Jacksonville father

Justice Walk: MAD DADS Lead the Charge to Uncover Truth in Young Jacksonville Father’s Tragic Death

In a determined quest for justice, the organization MAD DADS Jacksonville, alongside…
Dramatic video shows NYPD officers rescuing a missing dog named Moose from beneath a Manhattan subway train

Watch: NYPD Heroes Save Missing Dog ‘Moose’ from Manhattan Subway Tracks

A dramatic rescue unfolded in Manhattan as officers from the New York…
DHS marks 'one of the most violent days' of Operation Midway Blitz with several arrests

DHS Reports Surge in Arrests During Intense Operation Midway Blitz Day

Nine individuals, comprising three undocumented immigrants and six American citizens, were apprehended…