The Redmond apartment John Breen shared with his wife and son fit the family’s budget. Then the landlord raised the rent and their home went from affordable to unaffordable.

An increase from $965 a month to $1,050 a month was all it took for the 79-year old and his family to be homeless for the first time.

“We lost our apartment because it got to be too high for us — it’s supposed to be low-income housing, but it’s not,” Breen said. “They just jacked it up, you know.”

That was five months ago. They’ve been trying to find a new place to live ever since.

“Me and my wife have been together 28 years and this is the first time we’ve ever been homeless,” Breen said.

Breen is a retired Walmart employee, and his wife worked for an area motel until she got injured.

When the rent went up at their apartment, they tried to find rent assistance to help cover the difference. The nonprofit they contacted for help told the family they made too much to qualify for assistance.

“How much is too much? By the time you cover the rent and the electricity and all the other stuff, you’ve pretty much used up your money,” Breen said.

When that didn’t work, the family moved their belongings into a Bend storage unit and started living out of the family’s station wagon.

“(We) went from a big place to a little car,” Breen said. ”Had to put all our stuff in storage, that’s expensive.”

When the weather got colder, and the three wanted to save money on gas, they found their way to the Redmond Winter Shelter, where they’ve been staying.

Earlier this month, Breen and his family pushed three mattress pads together on one side of the  shelter, turning one corner of the gymnasium, where Shepherd’s House hosted the shelter, into the best home the family could find for the time being.

Breen said the family wants to stay in Redmond, where they’ve lived for 20 years and raised their son. They’re hoping to find new housing in the next few weeks — but they aren’t having an easy time.

He hopes the region can provide more affordable housing for families like his.

“We’re looking around right now. The cheapest one we found was $1,800 a month and there’s no way we can afford that,” Breen said. “That’s a robbery.”