The deadline to find long-term housing for the 140 Phoenix House residents is approaching. 

With little time, and many still unable to find a place to stay, nonprofits are finding a way to keep a roof over their heads.

Resident Michael Gianni got a letter Tuesday morning, saying she has until January 15th until she will need to pay for her apartment.

“My heart dropped down because I was thinking, Where am I going to go?” said Gianni.

Gianni said her biggest concern is lack of communication. 

“They're not accepting it here, so that's why we have to leave, but we were told this morning, so we have this many days to either go to the hotel or go to a nursing home or go to assisted living,” said Gianni.

Gianni is just one of the residents looking for low-income housing options. But because of a lack of low-income apartments in the Valley, as well as inflation and rising rent costs, the waiting list is continuing to grow.

“Nothing available, or they're offering me to move to Akron or Canton or Alliance. I don't have any friends or family there,” said Gianni.

George Berick, Century 21 Lakeside Realty owner, said tragedies like this one highlight the need for more investment into low-income options.

 “There are waiting lists for that, because that's what people think automatically. It's like, well, the city's got section eight housing that should be adequate. Well, that's over inundated, and there's not enough units for these people,” said Berick.

Roxann Sebest, United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley vice president, said they are working on a way to allow residents to stay at the Baymont hotel in Boardman temporarily until they can find a new place to stay.

“We're working with the Baymont hotel in Boardman to allow them to use the HUD pass through lease agreement, and that's the agreement that's going to allow them to use HUD subsidies as they move into another place temporarily until the Phoenix House, the Austintown studio apartments, is ready to be moved back into,” said Sebest. “If they're choosing to use this lease, it'll be exactly like it was paid at the Phoenix House. HUD will pay a portion, and then they will pay a portion based off their income and their situation at this time.”

The HUD lease agreement is the agreement between the Phoenix House residents and the landlord. 

Sebest said displaced residents will also still be getting help from nonprofits, even after that January 15 deadline.

Nonprofits will continue helping with moving expenses, and will provide needed resources. The United Way is continuing to coordinate with the residents and the landlord to see how they can best help.

The United Way is making a promise to those displaced from the Phoenix House explosion.

“No one's going to be homeless. We're working together with them. When no one's getting kicked out of anywhere, they have the option for the hotel. You know, if they choose not to take that and they go, maybe with family and friends. Again, it's up to them, but it is there,” said Sebest.

There is no set timeline for when residents can return to their apartments at the Phoenix House.