Hong Kong, a bustling city known for its soaring skyscrapers and vibrant economy, is home to a diverse population. Behind the glamorous facade, however, lies a hidden reality of housing challenges faced by many, like She Man-Fong. At 45 years old, She has been living in a room within a subdivided flat for nearly 15 years, navigating a delicate balance between affordability and basic comfort.
Subdivided flats have become an alarming consequence of Hong Kong's housing crisis. These cramped living spaces are typically partitioned into small cubicles or tiny compartments, offering minimal privacy and shared facilities, highlighting the desperate circumstances faced by those with limited means.
She Man-Fong's journey into this unconventional housing arrangement began when she encountered financial setbacks. In her youth, she worked as a clerk and enjoyed a stable income. However, when the company she worked for went bankrupt, her circumstances changed dramatically. Forced to seek cheaper accommodations, she moved into a subdivided flat, feeling fortunate to have avoided the even more dire conditions of cage homes.
"I count myself lucky because I didn't have to resort to staying in those cage homes," She Man-Fong shared, emphasizing the grim living conditions faced by those in the most extreme housing situations, where hygiene and basic comforts are compromised.
Her room, priced at HKD2,600 (approximately RM1,500) per month, stood out among the others due to its larger size and the blessing of natural light flowing through a sizable window. In comparison, the smaller rooms within the flat were available for around HKD2,000 (RM1,170) monthly. She expressed her satisfaction with the additional space and adequate ventilation her room provided.
Within the subdivided flat, She Man-Fong shared the unit with eleven other individuals, including two families, resulting in a total of twelve people cohabitating in a space of around 600 square feet. These units are typically divided into cubicles, offering some semblance of privacy in an otherwise crowded environment.
"Everyone will have to share a toilet and a kitchen. It's chaotic, especially during the morning when we're getting ready for work and school," She Man-Fong explained, shedding light on the challenges of shared facilities and the resulting daily hustle to navigate essential routines.
To cope with the limited bathroom facilities, the residents devised a practical solution. "Residents eventually made a pact that children aged 12 and below should just clean themselves up with a mini bathtub in their room, allowing adults more time to bathe," she revealed, highlighting the shared responsibility and consideration among the residents to manage the constrained resources.
The challenges extended to the shared kitchen space as well. The fear of misplaced or stolen ingredients added to the daily struggles. "When some things go missing, we tend to become confrontational. Certain things we can keep in the room, we will do so, but some needed refrigeration, we have no choice," She Man-Fong lamented, reflecting on the difficulties of safeguarding food supplies and the compromises they had to make in the absence of individual refrigeration.
While She Man-Fong remained optimistic about her current situation, her thoughts drifted toward the uncertainties that lay ahead. The impending future, particularly her retirement years, loomed as a cause for concern. "In another twenty years, I cannot foresee my future, especially when I'm out of a job. If possible, I want to work until the day I die so that I can live with dignity," she expressed, highlighting the precariousness of relying solely on employment as a source of security.
As She Man-Fong contemplated the future, the possibility of relocating to more rural areas to reduce rental expenses arose. However, she recognized the inconveniences it would bring, particularly for elderly individuals like herself.
Her story epitomizes the resilience and determination displayed by those grappling with housing challenges in Hong Kong. It underscores the pressing need for sustainable solutions to address the housing crisis, ensuring safe and affordable living conditions for all members of society.
As Hong Kong continues to grapple with its housing crisis, stories like She Man-Fong's serve as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to address the pressing challenges faced by those residing in subdivided flats and cage homes. These individuals, often living in cramped spaces with limited resources, deserve a chance at decent housing, dignity, and a brighter future.
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