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
Wilmington, North Carolina building explosion NC leaves 4 firefighters injured

Explosion in Wilmington, North Carolina Injures Four Firefighters

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Four firefighters were injured after a building exploded Tuesday…
Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger demands prison transfer after complaining of inmate threats

Idaho Murder Suspect Bryan Kohberger Requests Prison Transfer Due to Inmate Threats

Bryan Kohberger, the former criminology Ph.D. student who murdered four University of…
More Chicago-area families share grave grievances involving Elmo's Tombstone Service over missing, erroneous headstones

Chicago Families Report Numerous Issues with Elmo’s Tombstone Service, Including Missing and Incorrect Headstones

CHICAGO (WLS) — Families are grappling with unresolved grief as the graves…
'Pack the Bags, We're Going on a Guilt Trip'—the Secret to the Democrats' Success

“Unpacking Emotional Appeals: How Guilt Drives the Democrats’ Success”

If you grew up in a predominantly conservative area with parents who…
Pope Leo opts to share papal residence with four associates, breaking with tradition

Pope Leo Breaks Tradition by Sharing Papal Residence with Four Associates

Pope Leo XIV is introducing changes at the Vatican by choosing to…
Woman kicks Southwest employee, punches computer monitors in violent airport meltdown

Woman Assaults Southwest Staff, Damages Computers During Chaotic Airport Incident

<!–> Woman’s wild airport tirade caught on camera An incident at Orlando…
What Chris Pratt Said on Bill Maher's Podcast Is Going to Have the Left Even More Furious With Him

Chris Pratt’s Comments on Bill Maher’s Podcast Are Likely to Upset Liberals Even Further

People often ask why I choose to treat Hollywood with a touch…
Israeli soldiers observing destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Strategy to Capture Gaza City: Launch of ‘Operation Gideon’s Chariots II’ to Eliminate Hamas

ISRAEL has revealed its plans to conquer Gaza City in a final push…

Trump Administration to Screen Legal Immigrant Applicants for ‘Anti-American’ Views and Antisemitic Beliefs

Federal officials are now being instructed to vet immigrants looking to legally…
Two plead guilty in murder of Jacksonville 7-year-old

Two Admit Guilt in Jacksonville 7-Year-Old’s Murder Case

A man and a teenage boy who are accused in the shooting…

Officials Confirm Travis Decker’s DNA Was the Sole Evidence Found at Scene of Daughters’ Deaths

(NewsNation) — Officials in Washington state have announced that the only DNA…
Photo of Jean Pormanove.

Who Was Jean Pormanove? Tragic Passing of French Streamer During Live Broadcast

ONLINE streamer Jean Pormanove tragically died at the age of 46 after…