A woman who said she has been on the Bermuda Housing Corporation's emergency housing list for three years blamed favouritism for her woes.

Jean Thomas, a member of the People's Coalition for Affordable Housing, said the three-bedroom apartment she rents on Spanish Crescent in Smith's Parish had a number of problems including severe water leaks and a "terrible, unreal'' roach problem.

She admitted that the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) offered her two places to live -- both of which she turned down.

Ms Thomas said she turned down an offer for a St. George's residence because her children were asthmatic, and she was concerned about having access to medical facilities.

The second offer she refused was for housing on Curving Avenue, Pembroke -- citing the neighbourhood as an area where her children would be exposed to drug activity.

"I'd rather live in a roach infested house than put my children in that type of danger, because I'd suffer in the long run,'' she said.

Ms Thomas said her children even asked to return to the US and live with their father because the conditions were so bad.

But she claimed there were vacant houses that were not being utilised by BHC, and questioned if she was being discriminated against because of her membership in a housing pressure group.

"I have to wonder if there's a personal vendetta against me because I'm a member of the Coalition,'' said Ms Thomas.

"I can't really prove it, but I think a lot of houses are given to people out of favouritism.

"I know of people who are not in a desperate situation who are getting housing (through the Corporation). And I want to know, how do they pick the people? What criteria is used for placing people? Or is it a Bermudian thing of `who you know'? "Instead of working with Ms Pedro and the Coalition, it seems like the Corporation is working against them.

"It's not supposed to be like that -- it's supposed to be about helping people,'' she added.

But a spokesperson from BHC slammed the allegations of favouritism, which he called "absolute nonsense''.

"There's clearly no vendetta against her,'' he said. "We're in the business of helping people.'' "At the end of the day, we're doing everything we can to address the needs of these people.'' The spokesman said three factors were evaluated to determine -- ability to afford housing, the current residence's state of repair, and how close to eviction the tenant was.

But the spokesman criticised those on the Emergency housing list who were determined to live in a particular area or parish.

He said it limited the extent to which BHC could help -- if assistance was limited to a "defined area''.

"That's not easy...we can't help them if they don't want to be helped,'' he said.

And Housing Minister Wayne Furbert said individuals may jump the emergency housing queue because they had already been evicted.

But he rejected the idea that Ms Thomas had not been assisted and said he had personally worked with her in an attempt to resolve her situation.

"What, people in Somerset and St. George's don't have asthma?. ..Ms Thomas' situation is particularly difficult because she needs a three-bedroom apartment,'' he said.

And he stated: "We need as much help as we can get, and the housing situation should be seen as a problem to be collectively solved.'' GOVERNMENT GVT