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.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know what else to do,香蕉视频直播� said Wallace. 香蕉视频直播淚 am sick, I am a cancer survivor, I have a therapy dog and I香蕉视频直播檝e lived there for 10 years. I need someone to give me a month trial with my dog, that香蕉视频直播檚 it. If they don香蕉视频直播檛 like me after a month I香蕉视频直播檒l move on, but right now I need a roof over my head. I am 63 years old, I can香蕉视频直播檛 live on the streets, I need my dog, he is a best friend, he is the only family I got.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭hese are definitely the have-not people of our community, and that香蕉视频直播檚 hard on them. They香蕉视频直播檝e lost pretty well everything they香蕉视频直播檝e got,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� doubly so for affordable units 香蕉视频直播� that hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been much time for evacuees to find new accommodations.

香蕉视频直播淏eing Penticton, with the resort town, being the long weekend, being summer, there香蕉视频直播檚 no availability anywhere,香蕉视频直播� said emergency support services director Alida Erickson. 香蕉视频直播淣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.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭hey gave us a little bit of breathing space, anyway,香蕉视频直播� said evacuee Terry Theroux. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 just hoping, crossing my fingers that, under the circumstances, they香蕉视频直播檒l be able to find me something.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檝e really gone out of the way to make us feel as comfortable as possible,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淰ery supportive. Even the security guards, you can talk to them about anything. They香蕉视频直播檙e happy to listen and happy to speak with you.香蕉视频直播�

Through those conversations, Erickson said she香蕉视频直播檚 learned about the marginal situations that the Highland Motel香蕉视频直播檚 former residents are in.

香蕉视频直播淥ver these last four days, we香蕉视频直播檝e become friends with some of these people, and they are feeling secure enough with us, now, that they香蕉视频直播檙e telling us how their lives are,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of them are marginal and they have addiction or other mental health issues, and, for whatever reason, they香蕉视频直播檝e fallen through the cracks in some cases.

香蕉视频直播淎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.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲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,香蕉视频直播� said Watkinson. 香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 want them to end up on the streets.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淲e need to help them make the next step or this will become their permanent residence and that won香蕉视频直播檛 work,香蕉视频直播� said Watkinson.

Efforts are focused on finding shelter for the motel香蕉视频直播檚 evacuees, but Watkinson says the real struggle will be to find stable, sustainable housing.

香蕉视频直播淭hey don香蕉视频直播檛 have a down payment, they don香蕉视频直播檛 have first month香蕉视频直播檚 rent, they don香蕉视频直播檛 have a reference. It香蕉视频直播檚 really hard to get them into a place that will allow them to rent,香蕉视频直播� Watkinson said. 香蕉视频直播淎 few of them have been able to find places. But we still have 14 that are homeless. We just don香蕉视频直播檛 want them to end up on the streets and become another statistic, right?香蕉视频直播�

With up to 14 more potentially homeless individuals, there is more pressure on the city to help develop solutions to the city香蕉视频直播檚 affordable housing situation.

香蕉视频直播淲e recognize the need for more housing for those below the poverty line, as well as the working poor,香蕉视频直播� Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said in an email statement. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝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.香蕉视频直播�

Jakubeit added that the city is working with local nonprofits and other agencies to 香蕉视频直播渉elp fast-track some solutions,香蕉视频直播� adding that adding to the market-price stock could help alleviate the issue as well.

香蕉视频直播淟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.香蕉视频直播�

The cause of the fire was deemed 香蕉视频直播榮uspicious,香蕉视频直播� but Watkinson said the fire crews left it at that because the building was set for demolition and 香蕉视频直播渋t didn香蕉视频直播檛 make good sense to put somebody香蕉视频直播檚 life at risk香蕉视频直播� by sending a fire inspector in to investigate further.