Brian Jeffrey
A Glimpse into Alley Living
In late September, after the rain subsided, 65-year-old Tran Thi Mung set up a mini cooker outside her home to prepare tea. The cramped space soon turned into a multi-tasking area as she shifted to cleaning vegetables right after boiling water.
Mung has lived in what locals call the ‘alley of box-like houses’ for many years. Historically, during the French colonial era, large residences occupied the area, owned by prominent figures, largely catering to Chinese immigrants who rented the properties.
As time passed, small traders and vendors near Ben Thanh Market constructed makeshift homes, leading to a rise in temporary accommodations in the area. After the liberation of the south in 1975, many local residents were encouraged to relocate to designated new economic zones.
This initiative aimed to redistribute people and labor across various regions of Vietnam, prompting families from urban areas to move to rural and border locations. However, many found it challenging to adapt and chose to return to HCM City, settling in the narrow alley instead.
Over the years, numerous tiny houses, measuring only between 3 to 10 square meters, sprang up, creating a blend of spacious homes and miniature dwellings within the alley.
“My mother moved here at 15. Although my parents were urged to join the new economic zones, they ultimately returned due to the struggle to adjust,” Mung recounted.
She noted that upon their return, they built a small wooden house of 1.8×2.8 meters, which became the childhood home for her family.
Many houses in her row belong to returnees from the economic zones, hence the term “new economic zone houses” to distinguish them from the larger houses across the way.
“When I was younger, my mother mentioned that fee collectors visited monthly, but most Chinese tenants eventually left. We remained,” she shared.
The compact size of the homes often results in multifunctional spaces, with the first floor typically housing a toilet and a sleeping area, while belongings are stored on walls or placed outside.
Another resident, 72-year-old Le Thi Phan, runs a small laundry business from her similarly cramped home, barely fitting three washing machines. Phan, who moved there in 1969, has witnessed the area transition from sparsely populated to bustling since the post-1975 years.
Initially relying on small trade with her husband, Phan later tried living elsewhere in the Mekong Delta. However, nostalgia led her back to her familiar alley.
Mung reflected that her tiny home has been a haven for three generations, previously accommodating over ten family members, although the situation has improved as some have since moved out.
She pointed out that while residents of the new economic zone houses mostly engage in small-scale commerce, those in larger houses enjoy greater affluence. Yet, despite economic disparities, the community bond remains strong.
“Even if our alley is small, we live in harmony,” Mung concluded.
