Inside Hong Kong’s ‘coffin homes’ amid housing crisis - in pictures

The National
  • A man walks in front of a residential and commercial building where the ‘coffin homes’ are located in Hong Kong. In wealthy Hong Kong, there’s a dark side to a housing boom, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to live in partitioned shoebox apartments, coffin homes and other inadequate housing.
    A man walks in front of a residential and commercial building where the ‘coffin homes’ are located in Hong Kong. In wealthy Hong Kong, there’s a dark side to a housing boom, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to live in partitioned shoebox apartments, coffin homes and other inadequate housing.
  • A resident walks outside his illegal rooftop hut, which is located next to a public housing estate. The US-based consultancy Demographia has ranked Hong Kong the world’s least affordable housing market for seven straight years.
    A resident walks outside his illegal rooftop hut, which is located next to a public housing estate. The US-based consultancy Demographia has ranked Hong Kong the world’s least affordable housing market for seven straight years.
  • Li Suet-wen with her son and daughter in their 11-square metre room. Crammed with a bunk bed, small couch, fridge, washing machine and small table in an aging walkup in Hong Kong. She pays HK$4,500 (Dh2,200) a month in rent and utilities – nearly half her salary working in a bakery.
    Li Suet-wen with her son and daughter in their 11-square metre room. Crammed with a bunk bed, small couch, fridge, washing machine and small table in an aging walkup in Hong Kong. She pays HK$4,500 (Dh2,200) a month in rent and utilities – nearly half her salary working in a bakery.
  • Wong Tat-ming, 63, sits in his ‘coffin home’. It’s crammed with all his meagre possessions, including a sleeping bag, small colour TV and electric fan.
    Wong Tat-ming, 63, sits in his ‘coffin home’. It’s crammed with all his meagre possessions, including a sleeping bag, small colour TV and electric fan.
  • Simon Wong, an unemployed man, watches TV in his tiny home in Hong Kong.
    Simon Wong, an unemployed man, watches TV in his tiny home in Hong Kong.
  • Tse Chu, a retired waiter, sleeps in his little cubicle home in Hong Kong where rents and home prices have steadily risen and are now at or near all-time highs.
    Tse Chu, a retired waiter, sleeps in his little cubicle home in Hong Kong where rents and home prices have steadily risen and are now at or near all-time highs.
  • 10. Hong Kong. Getty Images
    10. Hong Kong. Getty Images
  • An illegal rooftop hut is seen in Hong Kong.
    An illegal rooftop hut is seen in Hong Kong.