The Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) took the decision not to evict one of its tenants hours before her story ran in The Royal Gazette, acting BHC director Deborah Blakeney said yesterday.

But she also implored corporation clients not to run to the press as soon as they thought they had a problem.

Three days ago, Pembroke resident Georgina Wray told this newspaper that she had been given a week's notice to pay at least $2,000 of the $19,000 she owed in arrears or she would lose her home.

While she admitted that she was behind in her rental payments, Ms Wray said she intended to pay the money - all she needed was time to better her employment situation.

She is currently enrolled at the Bermuda College studying to be a nurse's aide and expects to graduate next June.

"I did stop the eviction yesterday (Thursday) based on the further development between all managers at the BHC and in consultation with with BHC board members," Ms Blakeney said.

"We took into consideration all of Ms Wray's circumstances."

And while she admitted that the meeting granted between Ms Wray and herself may appear as if it was a last minute decision, Ms Blakeney was adamant that she was under no pressure to do so.

"We had no idea that she had gone to the press," she said.

Ms Blakeney said early Thursday morning she was anxious to tell Ms Wray about BHC's decision because she knew the tenant had no idea of her fate.

"I read the paper just before our meeting. It took the wind out of my sail, but she still deserved a chance," she said.

Although she would not give specific details, Ms Blakeney said a contract had been agreed upon by Ms Wray and the BHC.

She said it would put into place certain guarantees that the BHC will receive its current rent as well as payments towards the arrears.

And according to Ms Blakeney, the BHC has learned that Financial Assistance will help Ms Wray on an ongoing basis.

"Ms Wray is one lucky lady," she said.

Ms Blakeney also had nothing but kind words to the woman who gave Ms Wray the $2,204 she needed to evade eviction.

"I would like to thank the anonymous donor. She brought tears to my eyes when I heard about what she had done. It's nice to know that there are still people in Bermuda who are so generous."

While Ms Blakeney said people sometimes thought going to the Press with their stories would make their situations better, according to her, it only made it harder to respond to tenants in a timely manner.

"People are always making threats to go to the media - they don't realise that sometimes I can't get back to them as quickly as they would like because I spend so much time answering the media's questions," she said.

But she wanted to remind the public that the BHC is doing all it can to provide affordable housing.

"I am doing my absolute best to secure housing for BHC tenants."