International Towers tenants evacuated from building, placed in emergency housing

International Towers residents evacuated their building Thursday morning following a 3 day notice, with danger of collapse of the neighboring Realty Tower looming.

Many were chartered to motels, nursing homes, and apartment units across neighboring communities, where they've been assigned to stay for the next 30 days.

Some tenants told 21 News their frustrations, detailing that the sudden move after weeks of waiting on an update has caused financial burden and emotional distress.

 "I have to literally figure out how I'm going to put [my belongings] in a U-Haul, where I'm going to get the money for a U-Haul, who's going to drive the truck," tenant Marquis Dent said. "I don't have a driver's license." 

Another tenant, Gerald Aaron, said he feels the housing accommodation assigned to him could be an unsafe living situation for his young daughter, whom Aaron has partial custody over. 

He said he reached out to have the building assignment changed, but has been unsuccessful so far.

"They're telling me you gotta room at this place, you gotta take it. Well, it's not accommodating for me and my child," Aaron explained.

The United Way told 21 News they're coordinating efforts with the City of Youngstown and a number of local organizations to provide continued support to downtown residents affected by the explosion.

But efforts by city officials continue into another week with no movement on the decision of whether to demolish or repair the unstable Realty Tower. Mayor Tito Brown said the city has been pulling together its own resources throughout the response, but has been met with less support from the building's owner.

"We've had several intense conversations with them, their insurance company, their attorneys, so there's been conversation but not enough tangible action plans," Mayor Brown said.

The city has given the owner of the Realty Building until Monday to make that choice. If they don't meet that deadline, the city will begin its own stabilization plan.

"Now it's about making the building safe for these residents to come back, for the downtown hotels to open up, and businesses to have some type of normalcy in downtown," the mayor said.

He added, the city plans to seek compensation from the building's owner for the expenses incurred in the wake of the May 28th explosion.