I've stayed in hostels like this for months when traveling. Not everyone has the same requirements.
Of course, if San Fracisco approved tearing down existing smaller buildings to actually build large apartment buildings, the place would be a lot more affordable
Neither is a long term solution to housing. And neither provide personal security.
These meat boxes are exactly what some prisons look like. Albeit with a better paint job.
Up here in Canada a recent report stated there are about 5 times the number of vacant homes as there are homeless. Yet, somehow, there's still a housing crisis.