Tenants at Bermuda Housing Trust properties can expect to be told of their new rents later this week, the Rent Commissioner claimed yesterday ? but he did not reveal by how much renters will be hit.

Rent Commissioner Eugene Foley also suggested that any tenants of the trust ? set up to provide housing for seniors who cannot afford market price homes ? who face a bigger financial burden apply for Financial Assistance. ?I believe the increases are fair and reasonable in accordance with the criteria set out on the Act giving the Rent Commissioner decisions of that nature,? Mr. Foley told yesterday.

Rent increases at the BHT properties (managed by the Bermuda Housing Corporation) have been shrouded in controversy since it was announced earlier this year that some rents could be increasing by 100 percent or more.

The Bermuda Housing Trust was originally set up to provide housing for seniors who cannot afford market price homes. However with a mandate to continue to acquire more housing for that purpose, and increasing maintenance fees on the properties, the BHT needed to increase its capital.

The announcement that rents would be increased was met with vehement protest both from tenants and members of the United Bermuda Party, however, with both calling on the BHT to raise the funds in other ways.

Seniors marched on Parliament and sent a slew of letters to the Rent Commissioner in efforts to prevent the increases. The rents were always projected to remain well below the rental market, in spite of the drastic increases in certain cases.

Both the BHT and Minister of Housing Ashfield DeVent also said repeatedly that not only are not looking to evict anyone, but financial assistance will be available on an individual basis to those who need it.

?The rents are even according to the category of housing,? Mr. Foley said yesterday. For example, Ferguson Park is the newer of the four BHT properties, so rents are consistent across the board at Ferguson Park.

At the other three ? Elizabeth Hills, Purvis Park, and Hayden Trust ? rents for all the one-bedroom units have been set at an even rental level across the board.

Both Elizabeth Hills and Purvis Park also contain large and small studio apartments, Mr. Foley said, and rents have been adjusted accordingly so as to be consistent there also.

The amount of the increase may vary from tenant to tenant as rents for varied widely across the properties before, he said ? now the rents are uniform.

The BHT has said repeatedly that financial assistance will be available on an individual basis. ?Financial Assistance is open,? Mr. Foley emphasised yesterday.

He encouraged seniors living at the properties to submit any comments to his office once they receive the rent certificates to his office.

?I think they organised themselves fairly well when they petitioned against the increases,? he added. ?And they had tremendous support from politicians, John Barritt in particular.?