More than three Anchorage Road residents say they are facing a ?miserable? Christmas as they struggle to find suitable homes where their families can celebrate the holiday together.

Rather than moving into homes with sub-standard conditions the week before Christmas, the residents are making a plea to Government to put them in decent homes.

The situation at Anchorage Road has been an ongoing dispute between residents and Government since eviction letters were first served in October.

The Bermuda Housing Corporation is making repairs to the homes, all of which are old and need work, and renaming them the ?Anchorage Villas?.

In July, BHC Chairman Lt. Colonel David Burch said the work would be co-ordinated to coincide with the relocation of the current tenants.

The plan is to completely refurbish the 12 units and return them to the rental market.

As politicians debated legislation in the House of Assembly on Monday, questioned about the situation during the Motion to Adjourn session.

During his speech, broadcast on the radio and heard by two residents facing eviction, Dr. Gibbons said it was a ?shame? that Government had set their moving date so close to Christmas, increasing the stress of the move ? particularly for senior citizens who were uncertain about where they would spend Christmas.

?What we are concerned about is that these citizens have been asked, pushed, forced into housing which is below the acceptable level as far as they are concerned,? said Dr. Gibbons. ?What is also concerning is that a lady who is 70-plus years old, who has been offered housing by the Bermuda Housing Corporation which she can not live in with her two sons.?

Dr. Gibbons agreed the homes needed renovations.

However, he said forcing tenants out before Christmas, into homes which needed significant upgrades, did not indicate a policy which was reasonable or fair.

Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent responded that the residents were notified a year in advance of the move.

Residents of Anchorage Road who came to the House of Assembly after hearing the speeches on the radio, expressed concerns about the timing of the move, however, and the fact they have nowhere else to go.

They said it was the responsibility of the BHC to ensure they have decent places to live.

?What type of Christmas are we supposed to have?? one resident asked . ?It?s not going to be much of a Christmas at all.

?I?m split up from my family, they want to move me to the Curve and my wife and children will be somewhere else. It?s not going to be much of a Christmas at all for us if we can?t even be together.?

The young father used to live in the Sandhurst Apartments in St. George?s until Hurricane Fabian hit last September.

He was offered a home at Anchorage Road temporarily while waiting for the Sandhurst to be repaired. Now he and his family, who have lived together for four months, face another move which will split them into different homes.

?I?m trying to be a father figure to my children, but I can?t if I?m not with them,? he said.

Another affected resident told that the accommodation offered to her at Mary Victoria Road was not acceptable since the area is ?infested? with beer bottles and men are hanging out and smoking close to her home ? a situation unsuitable for her teen daughters to be close to.

?If this Government is committed to a Social Agenda what I say to them is, to do something for me, make my Christmas happy and put me in a decent home,? she said.

questioned the pace of renovation at Anchorage Road ?What?s the urgency?? he asked. ?Why don?t they begin the renovations on the other building first. These folks promised, as a community, the buildings would be renovated and returned back to residents, that was the initial promise.?

Mr. Swan said Government is demonstrating a lack of concern for the common man.

?Government touting a Social Agenda but its actions are about ?do as I say?,? he said.

?Everyone accepted the fact they have to move, but it?s Government that has a responsibility to find places as good, or better, to move them. Government is not showing sensitivity to fact there is a housing shortage, affordability is a major issue in Bermuda. We are moving well beyond the means of the common man.?