Entrepreneurs in Tokyo have developed "capsule" hotels with coffin-like cubicles for those needing shelter. They aren't free:
The rent is surprisingly high for such a small space: 59,000 yen a month, or about $640, for an upper bunk. But with no upfront deposit or extra utility charges, and basic amenities like fresh linens and free use of a communal bath and sauna, the cost is far less than renting an apartment in Tokyo, Mr. Nakanishi says.
The concept was originally developed to accommodate travelers in airports or those stranded without transportation, but now they are being rented by the month, and long-term users are registering the sites as their official "home."
Link. Photo credit Ko Sasaki for The New York Times
I foresee endless panoramas of enormous buildings, each filled with hundreds of thousands or even millions of cubicles. One gets to use the cubicle only for seven hours each day. The rest of the time one is either working, or just wandering with the crowds in the corridors waiting for one's next turn.
They could be in worse situations, like truly homeless people who sleep on the street in 5 degree weather and no food to eat.
to Fran: Check the rents in some big cities around the US/world. There are a LOT of places where $640 can't even buy you a room to rent. Combine that with the unemployment rate (fewer people making a good salary), and it gets kinda scary.