Three months ago, 70-year-old Byron Pusey’s life took a turn for the worse when his family sold the house he was living in, ultimately leaving him homeless.

Pusey told the Jamaica Observer that the house belonged to his father who died a few years ago and it was his home for most of his adult life.

A sight of hopelessness, Pusey sat under a dilapidated shed made of wood and zinc as he explained how he came to live on the road in Longville, Clarendon.

“Me did live up the road and me come down there come live,” Pusey said, stating that the house is also in Longville.

“The house is there, them a pull up it, a man buy the house. A deh mi live from me come here. A mi father did own it but them sell it,” he continued, as he explained that he had to vacate the house so that the new owner could move in.

Adding that he has no children, and his family also lives in Longville, Pusey said he is able to survive by the help of strangers passing by.

“A people pass and give me [food] and people give me clothes,” he told the Sunday Observer, as he noted that he did not build the shed where he is living now, as it was already there three months ago.

Additionally, Pusey said whenever he is able, “mi try go on the road go look help,” from residents in the area to assist with his daily living.

Having a street dog as his sole companion, Pusey stated that at nights he has to “drive back” the stray animals looking for shelter and food.

At the same time, he seemed to have a soft spot for his companion, which he named Rex.

“From me come here me have him. Me feed him. Mi glad me have him to keep me company, him watch out fi me and protect me things,” Pusey said.

Although he is mostly alone, Pusey, who worked as a gardener in May Pen when he was younger, added that, “Mi family come look for me sometimes, a ’bout a month now them come look for me. One a mi sister come. Dem come all the while here to see if me still live here.”

The Sunday Observer contacted Food for the Poor (FFP) in an effort to understand what could be done to improve Pusey’s situation, and director of financ, Kivette Silvera said that while the organisation would be delighted to assist him with getting a house, he has no land. As such, FFP would not be able to assist him with dwelling. Nevertheless, Silvera said the organisation would be providing him with a care package.

“Because he’s actually living on the road, we would just have to make contact with them (the Poor Relief Department) to see how best they can assist him, and [we] would assist him with a care package, or something along that line. We could certainly assist with certain immediate items like food, but in terms of a housing structure it would be more challenging because we would have to see who would be able to assist him with the land for us to actually build a house,” Silvera said.

Noting that if someone is able and willing to procure a piece of land for him, whether by lease or other means, Silvera stressed that then Food for the Poor would be able to step in and assist him.

“We are not legally able to go and put a house on anybody’s property without permission,” Silvera stated.