Government is to investigate claims of overcrowding in houses — with 18 foreigners said to be living in one three-bedroom property alone.

It comes amid complaints from Bermudians that they are being made homeless while landlords make a big profit by packing large groups of expat workers into what used to be the Island's more affordable homes.

Locals in the North Street area in Pembroke showed The Royal Gazette houses where they say many Sri Lankans live, with 18 said to be in one near the House of India. Many Bermudians sleep yards away in tents and cars. Some also claim they are now unemployed because the same foreigners accept much lower wages than they used to work for.

Gina Spence-Farmer, a community activist in the area, said she has seen other cases of overcrowding across Pembroke, although she's not aware of any numbers as high as 18, while similar situations are reported Island-wide including Harbour Road in Paget.

Chief Environmental Health Officer David Kendell yesterday said the situation outlined by residents breaches the Public Health Act and pledged officials will visit the area to investigate.

Meanwhile Salvation Army head Doug Lewis said the number of homeless people in Bermuda is now approaching 300 — up from an estimated 240 a few months ago, with an emerging trend of young people with nowhere to live. Mrs. Spence-Farmer said that figure would be much higher if it wasn't for residents taking extra family members into their own homes, after they lost their jobs and could no longer afford rent.

She said this overcrowding has led to other social problems, with increased reports of stress and abuse, and has contributed to issues like gang trouble.

"It happens across my neighbourhood; for the size of the dwelling, the number of people living there is high," Mrs. Spence-Farmer told The Royal Gazette.

"There are clusters throughout the Pembroke community, but who is monitoring this? I think anyone out there canvassing, if they are honest, they should be able to speak to it.

"I don't want to attack the people who come into our Country, but once they start to move into our neighbourhood, it does make the chances of my brothers, sisters and daughters to rent that house more difficult. There are so many of them. "If you don't have a lot of affordable housing, and the ones you have are full of guest workers, where does that leave you?

"I just think that if there's a monitoring system that protects both the guest worker and the Bermudian, that's a fair thing."

Yesterday's Royal Gazette reported how one homeless painter from the area, Andrew Laws, was unable to get work because foreigners accept $12 an hour when he used to make $20. Mr. Laws does odd jobs but can't earn enough money for rent and therefore lives in a tent. Major Lewis said of the homeless problem: "We are seeing younger people coming to our feeding programmes. These are 20-somethings who look physically fit and able to work. In fact, some of them do have jobs but don't make enough to find affordable housing."

Major Lewis said he could not confirm the extent of overcrowding foreigners, but said: "This past Christmas the registration for help and hampers showed a marked increase in the number of adults residing in a family residence. Where it used to be two adults and their children it is now four adults and their children. In some cases it is grandparents moving in with their children and grandchildren, or vice versa. In other cases there are brothers and sisters and their children moving in together."

On this point, former United Bermuda Party Senator Mrs. Spence-Farmer said: "So many people have been made redundant and many can't afford to live where they used to live. "They move in with their families so they don't become a statistic on the sidewalk. The number of families that have had to take in people is huge. That creates overcrowding which has its own impact on society.

"You have the grandfather who interferes with the little girl, the high recidivism rate in our prison, the gang problems and all the headlines you don't want to see."

Mr. Kendell told this newspaper overcrowding is included in the Public Health Act because it increases the risk of spreading infectious diseases.

Department of Health guidelines state a maximum of two people aged over ten can use the same room for sleeping, while sharing beds by sleeping in shifts is a public health nuisance and is prohibited. "Eighteen adults occupying three bedrooms would therefore be overcrowded," said Mr. Kendell.

Bermudians in the construction industry have increasingly complained about foreign workers on low pay getting jobs ahead of them without work permits.

Immigration Minister David Burch has said controversial plans to issue expats with ID cards will go ahead soon. Sen. Burch is also Housing Minister, but his press officer did not respond to our request for a comment yesterday.