These desperate people are forced to live in tiny iron and timber cages perched on a rooftop due to a severe lack of housing.
The pictures, captured by British photographer Brian Cassey, show some of Hong Kong’s forgotten people, known locally as caged dogs.
They have taken to living in illegal shanties perched on the rooftop of a 12 storey apartment block in Kowloon.
One resident living in the cages, Wong Tat Ming, 57, says he cannot even lie full-length in his cage – forcing him to sleep curled up into a ball.
The cage dwellers live in 6 feet by 2 feet boxes created out of mesh, bundled on top of each other and divided into rooms.
Brian, while describing his trip inside one makeshift housing complex, said: “The atmosphere inside is hot, dark, intense and unfriendly.
“As I first arrived in the corridor outside, I could hear the landlord inside yelling at the residents; I beat a retreat and returned later.”
Many poor residents feel making a cage their home is better than living on the street.
One resident, Roger lee, 61, said: “I have been here for three years now and before this I was in another cage home.
“I’ve been on the public-housing waiting list for many years, but I’m single so have no hope.”
Some illegally tenanted buildings were evicted recently, but only five out of 100 of the tenants were reportedly offered public housing.
It is estimated 300,000 people are on the housing waiting list and the number grows each year.
Homelessness in Hong Kong was once rare, but many hundreds now live in doorways, under overpasses, and in tunnels.
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Source: mirror.co.uk
Author: Rebecca Pocklington