Renee James won't be decorating her house with a Christmas tree this year. Instead she will be sweeping up termite droppings and trying to fix the rotten window panes in her new apartment at Alexandra Road, Devonshire.

The former Anchorage Road, St. George's, resident does not want to spend the holidays in the two-bedroom apartment ? owned by the Bermuda Housing Corporation and in need of major repairs.

A single mother of 14- and 16-year-old daughters, Ms James is a para-educator at West Pembroke school who also works a second job at the Northlands after-school programme.

This Christmas, the best present she could hope to receive would be a decent apartment in which to spend the holiday with her family.

Over the last week, Ms James has been moving into the home in stages from her Anchorage Road apartment. She expects to be settled by the December 15 deadline the quango has given a handful of remaining families to move out of Anchorage Road.

Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent said yesterday the BHC is doing as much as it can to please people, however, it is running into difficulties since there is lack of available housing options. He said it is irresponsible for the Opposition UBP to advise people to take the homes the BHC was offering since that is what is available at the moment.

A quick look around the two-bedroom apartment she has moved to reveals an outdoor laundry room with chunks of concrete falling out of the walls.

Although the conditions appear liveable on the surface, Ms James said her toilet needs replacing and the walls are unstable.

The BHC has made repairs to the kitchen floor with new tiling and told her to spray to get rid of the termites, but Ms James says it's the little details which make her living circumstances feel "sub-standard" and not worth the $1,000 a month price tag.

Outside her apartment, traces of garbage are visibly strewn around the yards across the street ? with broken glass and beer bottles visible to pedestrians.

"I've moved out of a home in need of renovation to another home which needs renovating," said Ms James. "Several other people got good houses with state-of-the-art kitchens. What I was hoping for was a nice home where I can bring up my two daughters in safety and in a good community."

Ms James said her old apartment had an ocean view, a fully equipped kitchen and a nice community where she felt comfortable and close to her extended family.

While she was offered a home in St. George's, Ms James said it was not up to an acceptable standard and she could not live there.

But just after she was given the keys to Mary Victoria Road, on her first visit there, a fight broke out between several young men in her front yard ? and her situation seemed hopeless.

"I am very disappointed," she said. "I trusted them, I went to see them with my letters to explain my situation but, at the end of the day, I feel like a worthless person.

"I feel depressed, at the moment I feel I have no respect and value. Some Anchorage Road tenants have just given up but I have kept it up. I keep voicing my concerns because I feel if you don't fight these issues get left undone.

"I've been told my situation is what I make it, but I don't think so. At this point I want a decent home ? a home I can come home to after working two jobs."

Opposition Senate Leader Kim Swan, who lives in St. George's, said the situation indicated the need for Government to develop a forward-thinking solution to the housing crisis.

He said the buildings could have been renovated systematically as plans to renovate began six years ago. Fixing the buildings up in stages would have given the residents some security and a place where they could spend Christmas with their families, he added.

Instead many of the former Anchorage Road tenants feel they are facing a bleak Christmas and a discouraging new year.

Mr. DeVent said yesterday that he had not spoken with all of the Anchorage Road residents about their situation but he said St. George's MP Dean Foggo has been in regular contact with them. Mr. DeVent said the move is necessary and if it is delayed past January it could cost the taxpayer money. The BHC said it is more cost-effective and timely to gut the apartments and renovate them at once as opposed to doing the complex in stages.

"I wish I could do everything to please everyone but it doesn't always work this is not McDonald's," said Mr. DeVent. "Unlike people in the private sector we go the extra mile to house them but with these apartments there is no other option, - the building has to be renovated."