Ashley Stahl spent Sunday afternoon packing up the place she's called home for two years. She has been living at the Mosley Motel since 2014, because of its affordability.
"That's why we were here for so long we could handle it," said Stahl.
The motel's management decided to demolish the building that is more than sixty years old, leaving hundreds of people scrambling to find more housing. All of the residents need to be out of the motel by Monday.
"We pay about $800 a month, now we are going to a hotel down the street that is $920," said resident Carroll Vanzyl.
Cliff Smith is the city's Social Services Manager. He said many of the residents here are here, because of bad credit and/or criminal records. His office is helping people find new places to live. They went door to door talking to residents on Sunday afternoon.
"We have made arrangements to put them in a shelter until they get a permanent place, so there is literally nobody that doesn't have a place to go to," said Smith.
Smith said there is an affordable housing problem in the city, but leaders are working on funding new developments.
"But those can take a couple of years to design and build," said smith.
Former resident Christian Bogan is hoping more affordable housing comes soon to St. Petersburg.
"This was homes for dozens and dozens of families and now it's being shut down it's actually a tragedy," said Bogan.
Nearly everyone at the Mosley said they have some idea of where they will be staying next, but some residents wouldn't speak to Smith's office about their plans.
"Those are the ones I'm worried about," said Smith.
