The 1is July, Vicky Laflamme thought he was on the street. But to its greatest relief, after the media coverage of its history in The pressit was relocated in the space of a few hours by a local organization in Lévis.
Reread “moving to nowhere”
“We were going to find ourselves on the street, when we had their help. They came to my rescue. They helped us well, and we are made in very good hands. »»
A few days ago, during his first call with The pressVicky Laflamme did not see the end of the tunnel. She who had already tasted homelessness for three weeks, in July 2024, feared having to do the same this year.
Today, the contrast is striking. He gets along in his voice. “It is a relief, it is anxiety that goes down. »»
Finally, I did not sleep a day on the street.
Vicky Laflamme
From 6 a.m. on Tuesday 1is July, the Municipal Housing Office (OMH) of Lévis had become aware of the situation of Mme Laflamme and his spouse, after reading the article At preassese.
Around 9 a.m., the team had managed to find it on social networks. Around noon, the couple had visited several apartments, in the company of an OMH representative of Lévis. Then, around 1 p.m., he had accommodation with his keys, the lease being signed according to his terms.
Photo provided by the Municipal Housing Office of Lévis
Vicky Laflamme (left), his spouse (back) and Yves Labonté, OMH of Lévis (right), in approach to find accommodation, 1is July
“The couple is currently in a furnished three and a half for about a month,” explains Gérard Truchon, managing director of Lévis OMH. The accommodation is temporary, allowing them to buy their furniture and then integrate the four and a half [appartenant au même propiétaire] whose lease is signed for a year and a half. »»
“It is sure and certain that it is still an anxious period,” continues Vicky Laflamme. But it’s okay. Within a month, I will be in a normal and brand new apartment. It’s sunk into concrete. I can’t ask better. Everything gets better. In a few hours, we were taken care of and our belongings are safe. »»
Accompaniement
The new tenant now takes steps for the rest of things. She is accompanied by Lévis’s OMH for her move and for food.
The team really takes its mission to heart. Our people want to have the opportunity to give and change lives. It’s really a vocation.
Gérard Truchon, Managing Director of the Lévis City Housing Office
Between two answers, Vicky Laflamme laughs. “In the end, I sold all my things [encombrantes] For nothing, she said. But what do you want, I had no choice. »»
His tone communicates: having had to sell his air conditioner and car tires is now the least of his worries.
Not all the same luck
Vicky Laflamme considers herself lucky to have found so quickly, while the number of people without housing has increased.
In the national capital, the crisis is accentuated by the fact that rents have increased by more than 75 % in the past five years.
“The housing crisis, I find it socially very difficult to accept,” says Gérard Truchon. The increase in rents causes an even greater problem. It is no longer necessarily availability, but the affordability that should be developed more. »»
On its territory, the Lévis OMH lists an increase in requests for aid to relocate 40 % since March, compared to last year.
Since the beginning of the year 2025, the organization has led to much more than 60 rehousing files, in addition to carrying out “interventions for the maintenance of accommodation, which has prevented people from being on the street”.
With the collaboration of Eric Martel, The press
