Hongโ Kong’s Climate Crisis:โข Low-Income Residents Struggle in Extreme Heat
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Hong Kongโ is experiencingโข a growing climate crisis, and โits โคeffects are feltโ moast acutelyโค by the โcity’s most vulnerable populations.โ Rising temperatures are exacerbating already challenging โliving conditions for low-income families, โmany of whom are forced to reside in cramped and poorly insulated homes. This article examines the โplight of these residents and the systemic issues contributing to their hardship.
The Heatโ Within Walls
On โขa recentโข summer afternoon,โฃ August 17, 2025, Yeung Fong-Yan’s small โคapartmentโ in Hong Kong felt oppressively hot.โฃ Despite โrunningโค the air conditioner continuously,โฃ the โฃtemperature inside theโข zinc-roofed room remained at a sweltering 36 degrees Celsius.โฃ Yeung sharesโฃ this space withโ his 13-year-old grandson in the Sham Shui Po district.
Each day, his grandson faces a grueling climb of nineโ floors โwithout the aid of an elevator โjust to reach their home,โ often arriving drenched in sweat. This daily struggle highlights the physical toll of โinadequate housing and the escalating heat.
Did You No? sham Shui Po is one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most densely populated districts,โค knownโฃ for its agingโฃ buildings and a high concentration โof low-income residents.
A Compulsion, Not a Choice
The โขsituation โfor Yeung and his grandson is notโ a matter of preference, but of necessity. Soaring rental costs and a critical shortage ofโ public housing have driven thousands of low-income families into “home homes” – โsubdivided flats within older buildings. These units frequently enough lack basic amenitiesโ and are poorlyโ equipped to withstand extreme weather.
Duringโ the summer months, the thin walls of these dwellings offer little protection from the heat. Leaky roofs and โhighโ humidity create stifling โขconditions,transforming rooms into virtual ovens. According โคto estimates, approximately 220,000 peopleโฃ in Hong Kong currently liveโฃ in subdivision units, illegal roof โflats, or so-called “cage homes.”
unacceptable Living Conditions
Many of these homes lack adequate ventilation and โwindows,โค and are frequently enough infested with pests like cockroaches and mice. Sze โLai Shan,Deputy Director of a โlocal non-profit organization,describedโฃ the conditions as “truly inhuman.” She furtherโ explained that some families are โฃforced to live in spaces asโค smallโ as 4.5 square meters, sharing โkitchens and toilets with dozens of other households.
Pro Tip: Understanding the concept โคof “subdivided flats” is crucialโค to โคgrasping the housing challenges in Hong Kong. These units are created by dividing larger apartments into multiple smaller, โoften โคillegal, units to maximize rental income.
The Broader Context of Hong Kongโ Housing
Hong Kong’s housing crisis โis rooted in โคa โขcomplex interplay of factors, including limited land supply, speculativeโข property investment, and a ancient lack of affordable housing policies. The legacy of British colonial rule, where land was largely controlled by aโข few powerful families, continues to shape the housing landscape today [[2]]. The transition to a Special โฃAdministrative โฃRegion of China in 1997 didโข not immediately address these deep-seated issues.
The โCOVID-19โ pandemic further exacerbated theโค problem, as quarantine facilities were later โขrepurposed as โฃhostels, adding โto the competition for affordable housing โค [[1]].This situation underscores the urgent need for thorough and sustainable housing solutions.
| Metric | Data (2025) |
|---|---|
| Estimated Residents in Subdivided Units | ~220,000 |
| Average Temperature in Affected Homes | 36ยฐCรณmico |
| Average Size of Subdivided Units | < 4.5 โฃsq meters (some cases) |
What steps can be taken to improve living conditions for low-income families in Hong โkong? How โฃcan the government balanceโข the need for affordable housing with the pressuresโฃ of a competitiveโค property market?
The challenges โขfaced by low-income residents in Hong Kong are part of a broader global trend of โฃincreasing urbanization and income inequality. Climate change is expected โtoโ exacerbate these issues,notably in densely populated cities withโข limited resources. Sustainable urban planning, investment in affordable housing, and policies to mitigate climate change โare crucial for ensuring a moreโ equitable and resilient future.
Frequently Asked โQuestions about โฃHong Kongโ Housing
- What are “subdivided flats”? These are created byโค dividing larger apartments into โขmultiple smaller units, often illegally, to maximize rental income.
- Why is housing so expensive inโ Hong Kong? Limited land supply, speculative investment, and historical factors contribute toโฃ high property prices.
- What is theโ Hong kong government doing to address theโฃ housing crisis? The government is implementing various initiatives,but progress has been โslow,and demand continues to outstrip supply.
- Howโ does climate changeโ impact housing in Hong Kong? Rising temperatures make already โขinadequate โhousing conditions even more unbearable for low-income residents.
- What isโข a โข”cage home”? โAโ type of extremely โsubstandard housing where people live in cage-like โคstructures within a larger building.
This isโ a developing story. We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. ifโข you found this articleโค insightful, please consider โsharingโ it with โขyour network and subscribing to our newsletter for more in-depth reporting.