Kyla and Geoff did not participate in an interview – their entire story is told through photography. While asked to take photographs of spaces they occupied, the majority of the photos taken appear to be family-centric. While spaces such as the motel they stayed in can be seen, this is the background of the photo, rather than the main focus. The remaining photographs show the poor conditions of the place the family was staying in, and consequently had to evacuate due to health issues created by an abundance of mould. The photographs showcase how it is possible for a family to go from being homeless-at-risk to hidden homeless. Theirs is a case where income is an issue. The family simply could not afford to just leave behind their mouldy rental accommodations, as they did not have the financial means to afford to rent somewhere new. This would entail coming up with both a month's worth of rent in a new place, and a security deposit, which in British Columbia is worth half a month's rent (Residential Tenancy Act of BC, n.d., p. 1). Affordability remains a significant barrier, especially in the private rental market (Cloke & Milbourne). Further, Cloke and Milbourne note that “incomes earned by the working poor […] are simply too low for people to act on an individual or collective basis to address their own housing problems” (p.75).Looking through their photographs, I begin to get a sense of Kyla and Geoff's story. The images show that homelessness does not necessarily equate with rooflessness, and also speak to the substandard conditions which the family lives in. At the same time, the photographs tell the story of the family itself. At first, a number of the photographs appear to be focused on the family. As Kyla and Geoff have an infant son, this does not seem surprising – every new family takes numerous photographs. Looking closer at the photos, the spatial features, hidden in the background, become more prominent. It becomes apparent that this is not a permanent home, but rather the more temporary residence of a motel room. Knowing this, and viewing the other pictures, the story truly begins to unfold.
There is a picture of a leather jacket, and another of a baby sleeper. At first, both items of clothing appear to be dirty. Yet, a closer inspection reveals these clothes are covered with mould. Two more pictures – darkened without the use of the camera's flash – have captured Geoff as he packs up the family's belongings. The family has found themselves homeless due to the mould in the house they rent becoming a health hazard for both the couple and their young son. They were told by a local doctor that they could no longer live in the rental unit, as it was causing their son health problems.
Kyla and Geoff attempted to move back into their rental unit after the landlord claimed to have gotten rid of the mould. However, the mould returned and the family chose to leave again.
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