Lack of affordable housing is at the root of the problems threatening Bermuda?s young people, according to one woman.

The woman approached recently to voice her frustrations at the housing problem in Bermuda. ?I?ve been looking for a place for a year,? the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said. ?My children are stressed. There are six of us in a one-bedroom house ? it?s nothing but arguing and bickering.?

With a salary of $385 per week and four children to house, the woman said it just was not feasible to meet rents. ?We have to live, we have to have transport, food. How are we supposed to meet rent?

?The cost of living here is hard. A lot of girls are living in the same situation.

?I?ve been to Housing, they said they have nothing. I spoke to a friend in the same situation, they said she can?t rent from them because she?s a part-owner of another place. But she needs a place to live.

?And they?re talking about going Independent?? That?s why all the Jamaicans and Filipinos want to come here, because now their countries are independent. We?re going to be in a lot of trouble.

?Government, Bermuda has gotten greedy.?

The woman spoke of another family whose young son had to be separated from the rest of the family. ?I see the stress and the strain in this child?s face,? she said. ?He wants to be back with his family. And all we are doing is paying and paying and paying ... We black people are killing ourselves trying to make ends meet. And where does it leave the children? Out on the streets getting into trouble. I would?ve never thought I?d see our country going that way.?