Living in a shoebox

A woman and her son are seen in their 60-square-foot subdivided flat, with a monthly rent of HK$3,800 ($487), in Hong Kong February 2, 2015. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

A movie is shown on a television in a common area between wooden boxes where people live in, Hong Kong October 9, 2012. To maximize income from the rent in central Hong Kong, landlords build "coffin homes", nicknamed due to their resemblance to real...more

A man rests in his cage home, which he rents for HK$1,800 ($230) per month in Hong Kong February 15, 2015. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Kam Chung, 49, wears a brace as he rest in a wooden box that he lives in Hong Kong October 9, 2012. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

A general view of old residential flats, which contain subdivided units, at Sham Shui Po, one of the oldest districts in Hong Kong February 4, 2013. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

Residents watch TV in an common area in front of their beds, which they rent for $167, in Hong Kong November 1, 2012. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Lee Oi Lin, a 56-year-old woman, sits on a bed as she poses for photos in her 45-square-foot subdivided flat inside an industrial building in Hong Kong January 19, 2012. Lee pays a monthly rent of HK$1,500 ($193) for the flat. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

An apartment block is seen through the window of a space where people live in wooden boxes in Hong Kong October 9, 2012. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

A man sits inside his "cubicle" home, one of nineteen 24-square-foot units inside a 600-square-foot residential apartment complex in Hong Kong September 16, 2009. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

A towel with a $100 pattern is seen at a "cage home" in Hong Kong February 15, 2015. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Huang Shaochang, 46, and his wife Li Rong, 37, sit on a bed as they poses for photos in their 35-square-foot subdivided flat inside an industrial building in Hong Kong November 1, 2012. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

A door bell for three subdivided units is seen inside an old residential flat in Hong Kong February 4, 2013. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

An elderly resident poses in his cubicle in Mong Kok district in Hong Kong, October 4, 2011. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

A man sits in his caged bed in Hong Kong September 16, 2009. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

A woman walks in front of a building, in which one of the apartments is composed of wooden boxes, in central Hong Kong October 9, 2012. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj