BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. (WSBT) -- More than 120 Tenants at Timber Ridge Manor, a Berrien Springs senior housing complex, are being forced to leave by the end of October.
A mostly empty parking lot at Timber Ridge showed the reality for those remaining, as tenants continue their search for a place to live and worry about the dwindling time.
"This is my home. I didn't want to move again. I'm 74 years old. I'm tired of moving," said Donna Tieppo, lives at Timber Ridge Manor.
Time is running out for tenants at Timber Ridge Manor to secure new housing as the complex is set to close by the end of October
It comes as a 40-year contract between HUD and University Retirement Centers, which operates Timber Ridge for Andrews University, expires.
URC is considering new uses for the property.
"The possibility of converting the property to student housing for Andrews University is one of the possibilities under consideration," said Greg Dunn, University of Retirement Centers spokesman.
Dunn said residents were notified last fall, one year in advance.
In response, URC and Timber Ridge management provided HUD vouchers, along with tips and leads for alternative housing, even hiring extra staff to assist with the transition.
However, the vouchers, issued by the Michigan Development Authority, were delayed by several months.
Originally expected in May, they arrived just a few weeks ago
"So, some tenants had already, you know, made other arrangements, and moved to other accommodations without the benefit of those vouchers, but a number of other tenets wanted to wait and receive the voucher," said Dunn.
WSBT asked tenants if it was enough time. "No. No, not with the voucher situation," said Tieppo.
Tieppo has lived at Timber Ridge since 2016.
While she planned to stay longer, she said she's blessed to have recently found new housing before time was up.
But she said that is not the case for many of her neighbors.
"Some of these people are 90, 95, 88, disabled, no place to go, wrong, wrong! These people are panicking. I want everybody to go: 'I don't know what I'm going to do,' and some people have to go in nursing homes, assisted living," said Tieppo.
As Timber Ridge gets ready to close, officials said the focus now is on helping residents find a place to live.