結構簡陋和安全性⽋佳的寮屋曾昰全港四分⼀市民的棲⾝之所。為改善市民的居所環境，政府展開了⼤型公營房屋發展計劃，先於1954年在⽯硤尾建成⾸批安置平房。⽽第⼀個公共屋邨北⾓邨亦於1957年落成，其後更發展⾄其他新市鎮，如觀塘、荃灣、沙⽥及 屯⾨等。公營房屋單位⾯積⼀般較狹⼩，為了善⽤⽃室空間，幾乎家家⼾⼾也置有「摺枱」「摺櫈」；⽽廉價的塑膠家品如「膠櫈仔」、「膠桶」亦是不少基層家庭的必備家品。
Crudely-built squatter homes with poor safety standards once provided normal shelter for as much as a quarter of the city’s population. To help address this issue, the Government launched an extensive resettlement and rehousing programme to improve citizens’ living environment. The first resettlement estate at Shek Kip Mei was opened in 1954, followed by the first new public housing as such, North Point Estate, in 1957. Since then, many more residential estates have been built in new towns from Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan to Sha Tin and Tuen Mun. The space in public housing units was rather limited. In order to maximise space, most families used folding tables, folding chairs and even plastic stools for daily use.
當年不少家庭添置的，還有原⼦粒收⾳機，為市民帶來免費娛樂，到鄰近「涼茶舖」追聽廣播劇是港⼈珍貴的集體回憶之⼀。1967年，第⼀家免費電視台——電視廣播有限公司正式啟播；1971年電視廣播由⿊⽩轉為彩⾊，幾乎每家每⼾都喜歡追看電視劇，成為⾹港⼈的主要⼯餘消遣節⽬。
What could also be commonly found in public housing blocks were transistor radios. These tiny gadgets were a valued source of free entertainment for grass-roots families. Listening to radio dramas at the neighbourhood herbal tea shop is one of the precious collective memories of many Hong Kong people. The first free television station, TV Broadcasting Co Ltd, was officially launched in 1967. In 1971, its broadcasts were upgraded from black-and-white to full colour. Every family fell in love with local dramas, which became a hugely popular daily entertainment at that time.