A 30-year-old working mother of three is making a heartfelt plea for help after being told she must leave the emergency accommodation “Home” where she and her children have been living for the past year, despite having nowhere else to go.
The Bermudian mother, who works as a caregiver, says she has spent the past two to three years searching for a rental apartment without success. Now, with her time at the emergency housing facility on Parsons Road coming to an end, she fears she and her three children—an eight-year-old boy and two younger daughters—will have nowhere to sleep.
“I literally just need somewhere to rent,” she said. “That’s the bare minimum—a place for me and my children to live.”
She says the search for housing has been filled with disappointment, pointing to soaring rental costs, limited availability and restrictions that she believes unfairly exclude families.
“I’ve seen listings that say no children, no pets, no vehicles,” she said. “Sometimes it feels like it’s about who you know or what job you have that gets doors opened or closed. It’s been a constant uphill battle.”
Despite working full-time and receiving financial support from her children’s father, she says today’s rental market has become almost impossible for an average working family.
“I don’t receive financial assistance,” she explained. “I work, and my children’s father helps, but after paying rent there’s still groceries, school expenses, medical bills and everything else that comes with raising children.”
Ideally, she is looking for a three-bedroom apartment but says a two-bedroom would also work. She estimates her family can realistically afford about $4,000 per month in rent.
She also questioned the high upfront costs many landlords require.
“Some landlords want $5,000 a month in rent and another $5,000 as a security deposit. That’s $10,000 before you even move in. Most regular working people simply don’t have that kind of money.”
The mother said she has tried to shield her children from the uncertainty surrounding their living situation.
“They don’t really know what’s going on because I try to protect them from it,” she said, adding that all three have done well in school despite the family’s circumstances.
Privately, however, she admits the stress has become overwhelming.
“I’m so stressed that it makes me feel sick. I’m constantly trying to figure out where my children and I are going to lay our heads.”
She said she had been expected to leave the emergency accommodation the previous day but was granted one additional night. At the time of speaking, she said she had to leave by the end of the day which was yesterday.
According to the mother, she was informed that there were no available housing options through the Bermuda Housing Corporation, leaving her with no immediate alternative despite repeated applications for rental properties.
“They know I have nowhere to go, but I’m still being put out,” she said. “I’ve been applying for apartments and just haven’t been able to secure one.”
Before entering emergency accommodation, she had been living independently in a rental apartment while working. She said her circumstances changed after her landlord declined to renew her lease. Although she received a one-year extension to give her time to find another home, she was unable to secure alternative accommodation before the extension expired.
With no close family support and few people she can turn to, she says she is now appealing directly to the community.
“I don’t need a handout,” she said. “I just need somewhere to rent.”
She also expressed frustration with what she described as a lack of meaningful support from organizations intended to help vulnerable families, saying her experience has left her feeling discouraged.
As the deadline to leave her temporary accommodation arrives, the young mother says her only hope is that a landlord or member of the public with an available rental property will come forward before she and her three young children are left without a home.
Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
User comments posted on this website are solely the views and opinions of the comment writer and are not a representation of or reflection of the opinions of TNN or its staff.
TNN reserves the right to remove, edit or censor any comments.
TNN accepts no liability and will not be held accountable for the comments made by users.