For many families, an unexpected emergency or a lost job can be difficult, but manageable, at least in the short term.
For some, however, the margin for unforeseen circumstances is slimmer and homelessness is a constant possibility.
All it took for Randal Gioia to find himself on the streets was an unattended candle in the suite next to his that caused a fire and burned down the Atkins Apartments, where he had been living for the last three years.
With no place to go and only limited financial resources, Gioia took up camp in one of Port Coquitlam's parks.
"I was grateful everyday for having that place," he said. "I had everything I needed. I kept my suite nice and clean. I get depressed just thinking about it."
Gioia, who receives a disability allowance and receives about $375 per month for rent, said he could not afford fire insurance for his belongings. He would not get into detail about his disability, only saying he suffers from social anxieties that make it difficult for him to interact with other people.
He is not the only person to find himself homeless following the Atkins Street fire on June 5.
Rob Thiessen, managing director of the Hope For Freedom Society, said about 12 people moved outside following the blaze and so far about six have been moved into new accommodations. Thiessen would not speak about Gioia's case specifically but said the organization continues to help those who became homeless after the fire.
He said reasons for someone remaining on the street - or, more likely, in the bushes - can vary, ranging from not being able to find a place to the person not wanting to move out of a certain municipality.
In the case of the Atkins Apartments, a large number of the residents would be considered difficult to house because of drug or alcohol problems, he added.
Before it burned down, the building had a notorious history. Drugs and alcohol abuse were rampant and police were routinely called to the building, Thiessen said.
"That building has a very unfortunate reputation," he said, adding that the society needs to be careful about who it subsidizes for rent. "Some of the individuals that lived there aren't willing to make fundamental changes in their lifestyle and that makes them difficult to house."
Thiessen's outreach workers came across more than a few people who had lived in the building but decided it was safer to sleep outside. Last year, the organization and city of Port Coquitlam bylaw officers discovered a family with a 10-year-old child camping along the Coquitlam River. The family had previously lived at the Atkins Apartments but said they felt more secure living in their camp.
But Thiessen said, "We were able to work with them and got them housing within the week."
Residents were evacuated from the Atkins Apartments after fire broke out on the evening of June 5. Investigators said the flames were contained to the one apartment but significant smoke and water damage impacted the surrounding suite. All of the tenants in the building were housed at the PoCo Inn and Suites for the first three days. Tenants were allowed to retrieve their belongings but the building has been closed for renovations ever since.
