A housing crisis has forced St. Mark's Church and an elderly widow to appeal to the public for help.

With less than a week for Telvina Simons to vacate the church's cottage in Smith's Parish, the 66-year-old is at her wit's end as to what to do.

"I need a one or two-bedroom place anywhere. As long as I can take my dog and son,'' she told The Royal Gazette . "If anyone can come forward to help me, please do so.

"If we can't find anywhere I will go sleep in the bus shelter.'' Mrs. Simons, who shares the two-bedroom dwelling with her 26-year-old son and her Pomeranian dog "Peekaboo'', was originally scheduled to vacate the cottage on January 31.

St. Mark's Church sent a letter to Mrs. Simons on New Year's Eve, ordering her to vacate the church property.

The church wardens and rector have stated that much work needs to be done to the cottage which has been deemed unfit to live in. The property is disintegrating around her.

But they extended the deadline for Mrs. Simons to move until the end of this month. And both St. Mark's Church minister, Father Robert Thacker, and the church lawyer Patricia Harvey-Burch have stressed that Mrs. Simons will not be thrown out on the street.

The church has twice extended the eviction deadline and has reportedly been trying to assist Mrs. Simons in securing another accommodation.

But other than one offer by a real estate company for an unfurnished two-bedroom apartment for $2,500 -- which is beyond what she can afford, Mrs.

Simons has not been successful in her search. "A lot of houses are too expensive,'' she said. And even though the church cottage was falling down around her, Mrs. Simons said it was better than nothing.

"The bathroom basin is no good,'' she noted. The toilet is rusty. I've tried to clean it. But it is a terrible mess.

"But we've been living here all this time. Last January, they put new wires throughout the house and we were still there. I don't know why they want us out right now.'' But Mrs. Harvey-Burch explained that if the church began renovations with the Simons in the cottage, it could be dangerous for both the family and workers.

"I've advised my clients they should not proceed with the renovation with her there because of the possibility of liability for injuries,'' she added.

"My clients would be putting themselves up for enormous risk.'' Father Thacker said: "I would like to make an appeal to landlords who would allow pets and her son to live with her to contact us.'' Mrs. Simons, who admitted that she has not paid rent for the past two months out of protest, is willing to pay up to $1,500 a month.

She can be reached on 236-3646 and Father Thacker can be reached on 236-8360.