North Vancouver residents asked to 'open up their hearts and their spaces' to seniors displaced by fire

Advocates say a number of North Vancouver seniors displaced by a large apartment fire are looking for a place to stay as funding for theirtemporary housing is set to run out.

Fire tore through Silverlynn Apartments in Lynn Valley on May 31, claiming the life of one and leaving morethan two dozen residents without a home.

Annwen Loverin with the Silver Harbour Seniors' Activity Centre says a small number of displaced residentsare staying with friends and family. Some moved into empty suitesin another part of Silverlynn.

But the majorityare in accommodations atthe University of British Columbia, where the bill isbeing covered by North Shore Emergency Management and the provincial government.

Loverin saysfunding to cover temporary housing is set to run out either on Tuesday, June 21 or the following week, on June 28.

LISTEN | Annwen Loverin and Sue Carabetta on housing needs for seniors displaced by fire

B.C. Housing has secured a few affordable rentalsuites throughout the Lower Mainland, she adds,and issearching for more.

Sue Carabettawith North Shore Community Resources says her organizationisseeking residents who are able to offer space to low-income seniors while Silverlynn is being replaced, which could take about a year.

"We're starting to look to the public on the North Shore to say, are there empty suites?" Carabetta says. "Are there places that people can open up their hearts and their spaces to seniors who areat risk of being homeless?"

Loverin says the displaced seniors are used to paying around $500 a month for rent. Low-income housing in Metro Vancouver is increasingly scarce, but she hopes they can find that "needle in the haystack."

"We're really hoping people will support these seniors in bouncing back from this really difficult tragedy,"she said.

Anyone with spaceis asked to contact the North Shore Community Resources.Donations for displaced seniors are being accepted at North Vancouver's Westlynn Baptist Church.

B.C. Housing tells CBC News it is working on identifying available subsidized housing and has expedited the application process, but there is no word on whetherthe housing will be secured before the temporary funding ends.