5 ms·

The 'cage' appears to be so that resident can lock their belongings inside when they aren't there (you can see padlocks hanging on the doors of some). I can't

by rhplus 14y ago

The 'cage' appears to be so that resident can lock their belongings inside when they aren't there (you can see padlocks hanging on the doors of some). I can't really offer much of a useful statement on the realities of being chronically homeless (which is what these men essentially are) in a big city or on the root causes of the situation in Hong Kong, both social and economic. But I can say that the immediate needs of shelter, which come with a lack of space, privacy and security, are very likely to exist very close to home for anyone living in a big city. Here are some examples of sleeping arrangements for homeless in Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles (some are emergency shelters, some are permanent): http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2012/01/16/HomelessShelter.main/largest.jpg http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2012/01/16/Homel... http://triblocal.com/glen-ellyn/files/cache/2011/08/OTE-sea-of-shelter-beds.jpg/460_345_resize.jpg http://triblocal.com/glen-ellyn/files/cache/2011/08/OTE-sea-... http://commongroundwa.org/people/images/portlet-images/PortletYoungAdultShelter.jpg http://commongroundwa.org/people/images/portlet-images/Portl... http://test.housing1000sv.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/shelter-beds1.jpg http://test.housing1000sv.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/she...

hmsimha 14y ago
That was the second thought that occurred to me as well (the first was to be absolutely horrified). The reporter said the rent for one of those cages is 12 (AUD I believe) per month. Likewise, that only left each cage dweller with 13 AUD per day from their welfare check for other expenses (which the narrator said was not enough to afford 3 meals every day after other expenses). So if the cost of living in a cage for a month is roughly the cost of 3 meals (though that must be calculated at the cost of eating out, because even in the US you can eat quite well on $13 a day if you are frugal and know how to cook and budget) then they are spending less than many U.S. homeless shelters charge (it's not uncommon for homeless shelters to charge anywhere from $5-12 per night here). It's by no means a comfortable lifestyle, but it's better than being homeless and I believe many Americans receiving welfare and/or disability actually have far less buying power with what they receive, considering it's usually not nearly enough to meet rent, utilities, and food and transportation costs).
- danohuiginn 14y ago
  it was AUD12 per square foot. So something like AUD180/month for one of the cages.
- ctdonath 14y ago
  $1 per meal: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com
  - fnordfnordfnord 14y ago
    That may not be much help for the poor in HK.
  - lclarkmichalek 14y ago
    Do these people have access to cooking facilities? Also a lot of the stuff there is being bought in bulk, and I imagine that storing stuff might be a problem. And of course, there is the omnipresent fact that many poor people do not have the time/knowledge to prepare many kinds of meal.
    - frogpelt 14y ago
      I would think time would be more abundant for poor people.
      - drcube 14y ago
        I don't know about Hong Kong, but not in the States. Time is a luxury.
      - zem 14y ago
        why? if you're poor, the amount of time you need to spend just taking care of life's basic necessities goes way up. getting things done efficiently, getting other people to do things for you, and deciding you can sacrifice a few hours' earning potential to do something else, are all things that require you be well-off first.
      - 14y ago

by rhplus 14y ago

hmsimha 14y ago

That was the second thought that occurred to me as well (the first was to be absolutely horrified). The reporter said the rent for one of those cages is 12 (AUD I believe) per month. Likewise, that only left each cage dweller with 13 AUD per day from their welfare check for other expenses (which the narrator said was not enough to afford 3 meals every day after other expenses). So if the cost of living in a cage for a month is roughly the cost of 3 meals (though that must be calculated at the cost of eating out, because even in the US you can eat quite well on $13 a day if you are frugal and know how to cook and budget) then they are spending less than many U.S. homeless shelters charge (it's not uncommon for homeless shelters to charge anywhere from $5-12 per night here). It's by no means a comfortable lifestyle, but it's better than being homeless and I believe many Americans receiving welfare and/or disability actually have far less buying power with what they receive, considering it's usually not nearly enough to meet rent, utilities, and food and transportation costs).

danohuiginn 14y ago
it was AUD12 per square foot. So something like AUD180/month for one of the cages.
ctdonath 14y ago
$1 per meal: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com
- fnordfnordfnord 14y ago
  That may not be much help for the poor in HK.
- lclarkmichalek 14y ago
  Do these people have access to cooking facilities? Also a lot of the stuff there is being bought in bulk, and I imagine that storing stuff might be a problem. And of course, there is the omnipresent fact that many poor people do not have the time/knowledge to prepare many kinds of meal.
  - frogpelt 14y ago
    I would think time would be more abundant for poor people.
    - drcube 14y ago
      I don't know about Hong Kong, but not in the States. Time is a luxury.
    - zem 14y ago
      why? if you're poor, the amount of time you need to spend just taking care of life's basic necessities goes way up. getting things done efficiently, getting other people to do things for you, and deciding you can sacrifice a few hours' earning potential to do something else, are all things that require you be well-off first.
    - 14y ago