Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome yesterday urged tenants and landlords to work together during the holiday housing crunch -- and appealed for landlords not to evict during Christmas.

His comments came in the wake of reports from a young mother who complained that her holidays were ruined when a chunk of the ceiling in her rented apartment came crashing down.

Mr. Bascome said the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) met with Mr. Burgess to assess the situation and discovered he was in need of assistance.

Mr. Bascome said BHC would be helping Mr. Burgess renovate his apartments for the tenants who already lived there.

And he urged other landlords who needed assistance with renovations to contact the Bermuda Housing Corporation for help.

"All of Bermuda knows that Bermuda is facing a housing crisis, and I'd like to add that the situation we currently find ourselves in is because we are not able to capitalise on the use of the units demolished on the base lands for emergency purposes.

"There are a number of people looking for houses to rent, and there are a number of people living in subsistent or overcrowded conditions.

"The Housing Corporation has a waiting list of individuals being evicted, and we are pressed to find suitable accommodations until we get our housing development project on the road to alleviate the crisis.

"But I want to appeal to those persons currently renting to work with their landlords.

"And I appeal to landlords over the next couple of months and -- especially during the Christmas period -- that reprieve be given to families from eviction.

"To the landlords who currently are not renting their units, contact the Housing Corporation because they do have several families and individuals that can fall within the demographics of what that landlord is looking for.'' The Minister hinted at plans for "at least one proposal'' in the works for providing affordable housing.

"A contractor is looking at and proposing for us the development of a Bermudian module unit which meets specifications of the BOCA code and fits the dimensions of Bermudian architecture,'' he said.

The young mother who rented the troubled apartment, Zackia Goater, yesterday told The Royal Gazette that she was taking a "wait and see'' attitude toward BHC's promises of assistance.

"I'm satisfied so far....I spoke with Mr. (Ed) Cowen from the Housing Corporation and he said they would be helping Mr. Burgess fix up the building -- and would start with my apartment,'' she said.

"And they sent a contractor to look at my house at 10.30 this morning -- so far, at least they're coming to do something about it.'' But she said she could not stay in the apartment while it was being fixed.

Anyone who can offer Ms Goater an apartment for rent is asked to call 296-0579.