Officials scramble to find Penticton motel fire evacuees long-term housing

The situation is becoming more dire by the minute for Penticton residents displaced by Friday’s Highland Motel fire.

A makeshift shelter was set up in the gym of the Penticton Community Centre but emergency shelter funds have run dry.

Finding the low-income tenants long-term housing options during the peak tourist season is proving nearly impossible.

Evacuee Stephanie Malm, 25, said she doesn’t know where she will sleep Tuesday night.

“Basically everybody is staying under a bridge or on the streets,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Basically everybody is staying under a bridge or on the streets," she said.

Displaced resident Michael Vaughn noted the low rental vacancy rate in the city.

“There is no vacancies or nothing, it’s 0.1 per cent vacancy right here.”

Emergency Support Services Director Alida Erickson said several volunteers have put in countless hours caring for the evacuees at the makeshift shelter and reception centre.

“A lot of them are marginal and they have addiction or mental health issues, and for whatever reason they have fallen through the cracks in some cases,” she said. “Anybody with empathy is going to feel for them so it is taking a toll on us to a point, but nowhere near them. I mean, I can go home to my own house tonight.”

Fire Chief Larry Watkinson said social services agencies banded together to attempt to provide alternative options to the displaced residents.

“I’m at the table asking, ‘So who’s got rooms available?’ And they’re all putting their hands in the air going, ‘Not me.’ So we’re trying to find alternatives, and what that alternative looks like, we haven’t actually come to that determination yet,” he said.

The fire at the notorious motel, known to be a hub for criminal activity, is deemed suspicious.

Officials said the fire originated in a unit where a meth lab was found.

The motel was recently sold and slated for demolition.

Tenants were handed eviction notices and were supposed to vacate the same day the fire broke out.

“I don’t know what to do, I’m at a loss, for nine weeks, because we were given two months’ notice, which is fine, but 0.2 per cent rental rate here in town,” said tenant Bryan Wallace.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I don't know what to do, I'm at a loss, for nine weeks, because we were given two months' notice, which is fine, but 0.2 per cent rental rate here in town," said tenant Bryan Wallace.

Many find the stress of it all hard to bear.

“I’m sorry that I’m almost in tears but, you know, I’m scared,” Wallace said.