WATCH: CHEK News viewers stepped up after watching a story about a family living in a tent in View Royal. April Lawrence has an update.
Tammy Stephens was overwhelmed as she looked at a full page of housing offers that came in from CHEK viewers after her story aired Thursday.
“It’s almost kind of speechless of thankfulness and having that opportunity to know, I’m sure out of all of these, there’s definitely going to be something that will prevent us from being on the street,” Stephens said.
Stephens, her husband Tyler Lumley, and her nine-year-old daughter Ocean have been living in a tent in a View Royal campground for a month after they were forced out of their previous rental.
Although Lumley works, the family can’t find a place they can afford and with the campground closing permanently soon they’re running out of time.
So the offers of help come at a critical time.
“I feel well just this page, is a huge, they’re huge opportunities,” said Stephens.
And one of the best opportunities may be a three-bedroom housing co-operative unit, which charges just over a thousand dollars a mont..
Debra Sheets, who lives in a co-op herself, saw Stephens’ story and thought she could be a good fit for that type of housing.
“We always look for people who are families that have significant need, so I’m really hopeful we can get her application in and her family will find some secure housing finally,” Sheets said.
And Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA Mitzi Dean promises help is on the way for families like Tammy Stephens.
“This is a provincial issue and the bc ndp platform addressed how we’re going to address the housing crisis across the province,” said Dean.
April Lawrence
