Many people were shocked to realize that they could work hard their entire lives and still be unable to afford their own home. The crisis triggered 1989's Snails without Shells protests, in which some 10,000 people camped out overnight on Chunghsiao East Road.
許多人驚覺，自己可能辛苦一輩子也買不起房子，因此 1989 年出現了萬人露宿忠孝東路街頭的「無殼蝸牛」抗爭運動。