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Michaels: Fire hit financially strapped victims hardest

Walnut Grove residents may suffer most from fire
7705013_web1_kathy-michaels-2017

Charred timber and sodden remnants of household items are all that remain of 10 units at Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 Walnut Grove motel.

Any day now, a demolition crew will tear down the worst of the damage, which will spark more than a construction boom.

The change will further deplete this city91裸聊视频檚 supply of affordable housing.

Affordable housing, and the utter dearth of it, is one of Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 longest running conversations. When I was a younger woman, I was the one shaking my fist at the sky complaining about living in a one-bedroom dump for $800 a month that I searched high and low to find.

Now that I91裸聊视频檓 no longer in the realm of young Kelowna, there are others to take the charge and they91裸聊视频檙e facing even worse.

In fact, if the reporter in the desk next to me is any indication, it91裸聊视频檚 now the norm to move into a house with five strangers to simply afford keeping a roof over one91裸聊视频檚 head.

There are more stories in this city, too. Stories of seniors who are unsure how to make do on a fixed income.

There are men and women who are on disability and can91裸聊视频檛 find a home that works for them.

Some of these stories have come to a happy resolution at Walnut Grove, an oasis of affordability in an increasingly posh neighbourhood.

Though I haven91裸聊视频檛 spoken with her myself, I91裸聊视频檝e been told there91裸聊视频檚 a blind senior who has lived in the motel for decades, with her rent frozen somewhere in the 91裸聊视频90s.

Another woman I spoke with has a series of health issues that make life difficult to navigate and work impossible.

A young couple with two children below the age of four have found a home there.

And there are others who simply don91裸聊视频檛 want to spend their entire paycheques on a rental. Some who see quality of life as something more than a good address.

For many, it91裸聊视频檚 still not a cheap place to live, but the only way to keep a roof over their heads, which means they didn91裸聊视频檛 have a lot to spare from month to month. It explains why many residents didn91裸聊视频檛 have renter91裸聊视频檚 insurance.

Saturday91裸聊视频檚 Truswell road fire has put dozens of people in search of housing, but even the residents of the Waters Edge condominium 91裸聊视频 who also are out of home 91裸聊视频攔ealize that it91裸聊视频檚 the residents of Walnut Grove who may suffer the most in the days ahead.

91裸聊视频淲hen I saw one of the young men who lost his home, we didn91裸聊视频檛 even speak, but it made me want to cry,91裸聊视频 said one woman who is out of her neighbouring condo for anywhere from one to three years.

91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 even speak to him, but I could tell 91裸聊视频 he has nothing left. We91裸聊视频檒l all be fine91裸聊视频 I don91裸聊视频檛 know about him.91裸聊视频

In addition to financial means, the community has rallied around the residents of the Waters Edge and that91裸聊视频檚 wonderful.

Let91裸聊视频檚 hope there are a few people out there willing to rally around these men and women at Walnut Grove. This isn91裸聊视频檛 an easy city to find a rental, and it91裸聊视频檚 even harder if you91裸聊视频檙e not well off.

And everyone in this community deserves to have more to their name than charred remains and sodden remnants.

Knowing these people have found a safe place to live would mean this community is actually worth the high pricetag that comes with living here.





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