COMOX VALLEY, B.C. – A new family is coming into town, but they need a home to settle into.
Safehaven Refugee Sponsorship Group chairperson Gary Stevenson said a Syrian family of seven is coming to the Valley, after over two years of sheltering in Turkey.
The family consists of a mother, her four children, and her parents.
Safehaven is looking for a house that will fit the seven members, and one that would also be close to bus routes and schools. Stevenson said the group hopes to find a place for the family either in Courtenay or Comox.
And they need to find one soon, as the family could come any time between three weeks or three months.
“It’s a big family, and that’s a challenge for housing. With seven individuals, you really do need a four-bedroom house, which is pretty rare in the Comox Valley,” Stevenson said.
But he added that a three-bedroom house with a den or a living room that can be converted into another bedroom is also an option.
Stevenson said Safehaven has gotten a few responses, but they are in rural areas and moving around may be difficult for the family.
“We raised all the funds required to support them for the first year and to have a buffer in case there’s any emergency.”
“The Comox Valley has treated us and this family extremely well, and we think quite positively that a house will come forward in short order.”
“We’re just hoping we can find a compassionate landlord in the Valley who will work with us under these circumstances.”
If you know of a place or you have a place you can rent out to the family, contact Safehaven’s housing leader Mike Day at 250-218-3332.
