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Video Discussion.

The housing crisis in Hong Kong stems from high land prices and government policies that prioritize revenue over citizens' welfare. This has led to extremely small living spaces, including "cage homes" and "coffin homes" that illustrate the dreadful situation. While innovations like capsule homes provide temporary relief, they do not solve the underlying problems. Real change requires government action through zoning reform and increasing land availability to address citizens' needs rather than market interests.

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Shreenithi Abhi
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28 views4 pages

Video Discussion.

The housing crisis in Hong Kong stems from high land prices and government policies that prioritize revenue over citizens' welfare. This has led to extremely small living spaces, including "cage homes" and "coffin homes" that illustrate the dreadful situation. While innovations like capsule homes provide temporary relief, they do not solve the underlying problems. Real change requires government action through zoning reform and increasing land availability to address citizens' needs rather than market interests.

Uploaded by

Shreenithi Abhi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Shreenithi Shanmugasundaram

UST 1010

Professor Foster

21 March 2024

SUMMARY: Inside Hong Kong’s cage homes

Hong Kong's housing crisis stems from unreasonable prices driven by land scarcity and

government policies favoring high land auction revenue over citizen welfare. Small living

spaces, including "coffin homes," illustrate the dreadful situation. Innovations like capsule

homes offer temporary relief but lack a permanent solution. Real change requires government

action prioritizing citizen needs over market interests through zoning reform and increased land

availability.
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As a foreigner looking at the situation of Hong Kong, I was utterly surprised by the

incredibly small size of housing units in the city. It was shocking to see tiny living spaces that

were sometimes no bigger than a parking space in the USA. The concept of "cage homes" or

subdivided units, where residents live in extremely compact quarters, was particularly shocking.

Additionally, the high prices per square foot for these tiny residences highlights the severity of

the housing crisis, showing the challenges faced by residents in Hong Kong's densely populated

urban environment. When I picture Hong Kong in my mind, I typically imagine a skyline filled

with towering skyscrapers and a sleek, modern lifestyle. However, after watching this video, my

perception of Hong Kong has changed a lot. I came to realize that even stylish, modern cities can

hide tough realities within them. I was also amazed by how Hong Kong residents, despite facing

cramped living conditions and high expenses, choose to stay in the city. Their resilience and

determination to remain in their home despite the challenges they face is truly remarkable. The

challenges faced by Hong Kong highlight the adverse effects of smart growth strategies. The

smart growth aims to create cities with compact mixed-use spaces, pedestrian friendly

communities, while also preserving green spaces, promoting more housing options, and

enhancing public transportation infrastructure to ensure sustainable and equitable urban

development. It’s true that many of these smart growth strategies like walkable neighborhoods,

efficient public transports, preserving green spaces can be seen in the city of Hong Kong.

Despite exhibiting many aspects of smart growth, Hong Kong's urban development has

unintentionally posed challenges for residents rather than improving their quality of life. While

aiming for progress, the city has encountered issues such as overcrowding, high living costs,

unaffordable housing, and underutilization of vast green spaces. This underscores the complexity
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of achieving truly sustainable and equitable urban environments. The situation of Hong Kong

can be slowly changed if the government made effective planning and management of resources

to better serve the needs of residents.


4

Reference:

Harris, Jhonny. Vox. (2018, August 15). Inside Hong Kong’s cage homes. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLrFyjGZ9NU . Last accessed 2023, March 21.

Macionis, J. John and Parrillo, N. Vincent. Cities and urban life seventh edition. Pearson

Publishers, 2013.

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