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The people of Carmi hill

A family forced into living in the forest in the hills above Carmi doesn香蕉视频直播檛 know where to go
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If you drive far enough east, out of Penticton, and find the right forestry road, you might find a family.

The age of that family depends on whom you meet. Ages range from two months old to upward of 60 years, able-bodied and disabled alike.

Jay said he and his family have lived up there since the end of May, and like many others living in the Carmi hills, they香蕉视频直播檙e victims of an out-of-control rental market in Penticton. Jay is not his real name, as he has asked to remain anonymous, having several friends he hasn香蕉视频直播檛 told about his living situation.

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But Jay said about 28 families in total live in a 250-square-kilometre forested area east of Penticton, some of whom dig deep into forestry roads with hopes of keeping their location safe and hidden.

Jay香蕉视频直播檚 campsite is well out of town, but he said it is still one of the easier ones to find. It is home to five family members in total, four of whom are on disability pensions, including one young man with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects motor function.

Their story could sound familiar to any number of people: living in a Penticton apartment building, the family was handed an eviction notice for renovations in February, and despite having a few months to find a new place to live, nothing within the family香蕉视频直播檚 price range came up.

A man, who asked that his real name not be used, with his sick dog live in the Carmi area in the bush because they cannot find a place to live. He was told by one landlord to re-apply when his dog is dead. (Mark Brett/Western News)

It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 the family香蕉视频直播檚 first time being evicted.

Since moving into the Carmi hills, the family has had to move around every two weeks 香蕉视频直播 more than 14 days is considered squatting, and the family was recently handed a notice to pack up or face a $1,000 fine.

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Jay said he goes down every day or every second day to find a place to live, but comes up with nothing affordable or nothing at all. Anything that he can find within their price range is taken up in an instant. He said they stop at the South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society, which is involved in social housing projects in Penticton and offers a list of spaces up for rent. A list he provided to the Western News had spaces ranging from $600 to $1,350 for a one-bedroom unit.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 nothing out there to rent reasonable for anybody. We put our name in for low-income housing, and that was five years ago, but 香蕉视频直播 there香蕉视频直播檚 nothing,香蕉视频直播 Jay said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e so desperate for a house, but we don香蕉视频直播檛 know where to find one. And we don香蕉视频直播檛 know where to go, and a lot of motels won香蕉视频直播檛 do winter rentals. We already checked.香蕉视频直播

A sweet, attention-loving dog greets newcomers to their campsite with friendly sniffs and happily accepts rubs. Once a 70-lb dog, who Jay said saved his life three times while hunting, she香蕉视频直播檚 now emaciated, with cancer in her lungs and kidneys. Despite maintaining energy, discomfort is visible when she moves.

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That香蕉视频直播檚 added to the difficulty finding a place, with one landlord telling him to 香蕉视频直播渃ome back when she dies.香蕉视频直播

It香蕉视频直播檚 not just their dog that is struggling. A family member in his late-20s living in the campsite has cerebral palsy. Typically travelling on a scooter, he now has to crawl around on tarps strewn across the campsite.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 so many people on disability, EI and pension, but it seems like the landlords don香蕉视频直播檛 care. The City of Penticton or the government should crack down on these people that are trying to get more than what the house is worth,香蕉视频直播 Jay said.

香蕉视频直播淚t seems like arbitration香蕉视频直播檚 believing all these landlords. And they香蕉视频直播檙e letting them get away with it. That香蕉视频直播檚 why a lot of people up here are so mad at landlords, because they香蕉视频直播檒l use every excuse to get you out so they can raise the rent.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 how everybody feels up here, all the families. That arbitration is letting them get away with it.香蕉视频直播

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While it香蕉视频直播檚 not cheap living in the city, Jay said it香蕉视频直播檚 more expensive living in the forest, between the money spent on fuel heading in and out of town, up and down the mountain, money spent on repairing and maintaining the vehicles 香蕉视频直播 brake pads go quickly, Jay香蕉视频直播檚 son testified 香蕉视频直播 fuel for their generator and water.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 say it香蕉视频直播檚 about $1,200 to live up here,香蕉视频直播 Jay said.

Many of the 28 families in the hills are struggling even more than Jay is. As a hunter, he香蕉视频直播檚 got an elaborate setup of tents, a camper and a barbecue, as well as a shower he香蕉视频直播檚 rigged up using a water pump he salvaged from a camper someone else left near their campsite.

And in the middle of it all, a Molson Brewery 香蕉视频直播淚 am Canadian香蕉视频直播 flag.

香蕉视频直播淏ecause I want to show people that I香蕉视频直播檓 Canadian, but homeless. And, it seems like the government doesn香蕉视频直播檛 care.香蕉视频直播

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All that gear is both a blessing and a curse 香蕉视频直播 though it provides some extra comforts, it takes two or three hours to pack up and another two or three to set up in a new spot.

Others don香蕉视频直播檛 have so many luxuries. In fact, Jay香蕉视频直播檚 family gave an extra tent to a couple that didn香蕉视频直播檛 have one.

That香蕉视频直播檚 not an uncommon occurrence, either. Jay said there香蕉视频直播檚 a strong sense of community in the hills, with families helping each other out with food, gas and water fairly regularly, and meeting once or twice a week for community meet-ups.

There, they have met an array of different people: a couple in their 60s, a family with toddlers and one couple that gave birth to a new baby just two months ago.

Driving up to the campsite, amid the evergreens that permeate the South Okanagan, a trichromatic rash of deciduous reds, oranges and yellows populates a part of the Upper Carmi area 香蕉视频直播 a sign of autumn that香蕉视频直播檚 not a common sight in many of the more natural parts of B.C.

But while a beauty to the eye, it香蕉视频直播檚 a sign of harder times yet to come for Jay香蕉视频直播檚 family, as temperatures dip.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e worried with the snow coming soon, and we香蕉视频直播檝e got more coldness. It香蕉视频直播檚 just that we don香蕉视频直播檛 know what to do.香蕉视频直播

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8716860_web1_170929-PWN-Homeless-camp-04-T
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Part of the camp in the Carmi area where a couple of the approximate 28 families is forced to live because they cannot find an affordable home in Penticton. Mark Brett/Western News




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