A fire in a Penticton motel is a dramatic reminder of the precarious housing situation in the city, as evacuees and emergency service providers scramble to find housing.

Brian Wallace is one of those residents desperately searching for a place to live.

Through tears, Wallace explained that he is desperate for someone to give him and his dog a chance.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know what else to do,害羞草研究所� said Wallace. 害羞草研究所淚 am sick, I am a cancer survivor, I have a therapy dog and I害羞草研究所檝e lived there for 10 years. I need someone to give me a month trial with my dog, that害羞草研究所檚 it. If they don害羞草研究所檛 like me after a month I害羞草研究所檒l move on, but right now I need a roof over my head. I am 63 years old, I can害羞草研究所檛 live on the streets, I need my dog, he is a best friend, he is the only family I got.害羞草研究所�

The Highland Motel near the northern entrance to Penticton on Highway 97, causing the evacuation of all residents. Fire Chief Larry Watkinson said the fire in the motel, which was uninsured at the time, rendered the structure a write-off.

害羞草研究所淭hese are definitely the have-not people of our community, and that害羞草研究所檚 hard on them. They害羞草研究所檝e lost pretty well everything they害羞草研究所檝e got,害羞草研究所� said Watkinson.

The motel housed over about 20 low-income residents who, earlier in June, were served eviction notices for July 1 after the property was recently sold to an unknown developer.

But in a city with next to nothing vacant 害羞草研究所� doubly so for affordable units 害羞草研究所� that hasn害羞草研究所檛 been much time for evacuees to find new accommodations.

害羞草研究所淏eing Penticton, with the resort town, being the long weekend, being summer, there害羞草研究所檚 no availability anywhere,害羞草研究所� said emergency support services director Alida Erickson. 害羞草研究所淣ormally we would have put them up in a motel. Either way, even if there were motel rooms available, at this point they would still be out because emergency support services coverage is done.害羞草研究所�

Normally, the evacuees would have been out on their own come Monday afternoon, but the B.C. government extended by another 24 hours to 96.

害羞草研究所淭hey gave us a little bit of breathing space, anyway,害羞草研究所� said evacuee Terry Theroux. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just hoping, crossing my fingers that, under the circumstances, they害羞草研究所檒l be able to find me something.害羞草研究所�

Theroux said the volunteers at the emergency shelter have been exceptionally supportive.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e really gone out of the way to make us feel as comfortable as possible,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淰ery supportive. Even the security guards, you can talk to them about anything. They害羞草研究所檙e happy to listen and happy to speak with you.害羞草研究所�

Through those conversations, Erickson said she害羞草研究所檚 learned about the marginal situations that the Highland Motel害羞草研究所檚 former residents are in.

害羞草研究所淥ver these last four days, we害羞草研究所檝e become friends with some of these people, and they are feeling secure enough with us, now, that they害羞草研究所檙e telling us how their lives are,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎 lot of them are marginal and they have addiction or other mental health issues, and, for whatever reason, they害羞草研究所檝e fallen through the cracks in some cases.

害羞草研究所淎nybody with empathy is going to feel for them. It is taking a toll on us to a point. But I can go home to my own house, tonight.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e are trying to find ways that these people may be able to go stay with family members or a friend, that are a bus ride away, help them get to those locations so that they can stay with someone they know or feel secure with,害羞草研究所� said Watkinson. 害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 want them to end up on the streets.害羞草研究所�

Watkinson is hoping they can allow them to stay at the community centre at least one more night, but said the community centre is also struggling with relocating planned summer programs for kids that were meant to happen there.

害羞草研究所淲e need to help them make the next step or this will become their permanent residence and that won害羞草研究所檛 work,害羞草研究所� said Watkinson.

Efforts are focused on finding shelter for the motel害羞草研究所檚 evacuees, but Watkinson says the real struggle will be to find stable, sustainable housing.

害羞草研究所淭hey don害羞草研究所檛 have a down payment, they don害羞草研究所檛 have first month害羞草研究所檚 rent, they don害羞草研究所檛 have a reference. It害羞草研究所檚 really hard to get them into a place that will allow them to rent,害羞草研究所� Watkinson said. 害羞草研究所淎 few of them have been able to find places. But we still have 14 that are homeless. We just don害羞草研究所檛 want them to end up on the streets and become another statistic, right?害羞草研究所�

With up to 14 more potentially homeless individuals, there is more pressure on the city to help develop solutions to the city害羞草研究所檚 affordable housing situation.

害羞草研究所淲e recognize the need for more housing for those below the poverty line, as well as the working poor,害羞草研究所� Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said in an email statement. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e partnered with B.C. Housing to provide some relief, but the need outweighs the current supply, and process to add more units is slow.害羞草研究所�

Jakubeit added that the city is working with local nonprofits and other agencies to 害羞草研究所渉elp fast-track some solutions,害羞草研究所� adding that adding to the market-price stock could help alleviate the issue as well.

害羞草研究所淟ater this fall, several new apartments will come online, so that will create some more inventory and provide some market price adjustments for older units that currently charge a premium because of limited vacancies.害羞草研究所�

The cause of the fire was deemed 害羞草研究所榮uspicious,害羞草研究所� but Watkinson said the fire crews left it at that because the building was set for demolition and 害羞草研究所渋t didn害羞草研究所檛 make good sense to put somebody害羞草研究所檚 life at risk害羞草研究所� by sending a fire inspector in to investigate further.