Residents at a home for disabled adults in Kingston have a few months to find new homes — a daunting task during a housing crisis, especially for families of adults living with mental illness.

Families, Ulster County social workers and even some residents’ psychiatrists are scrambling to find them new homes.

Residents of Chiz’s Heart Street shared their frustrations about the pending sale during a conversation with Spectrum News this past weekend in the cafeteria.

“There’s no communication,” said one resident, who asked that only her first name, Norma, be used to identify her. “You’re kept in the dark.”

Several others echoed Norma’s sentiments.

The realtor for the current owner, Stockade Group LLC, said the company accepted a recent offer, and the property is now under contract. Tuesday kicked off a 45-day due diligence period, she said, adding that after those 45 days, the sale may not be official for at least another month.

Norma said she did not know about the sale.

“There’s a huge lack of communication with the occupants here, with the residents,” she said. “Anything you hear, you hear from another resident. That’s bologna because it’s not official.”

The realtor, Nan Potter, said the property manager, Sharon Chisholm, has taken a leading role informing residents of the sale’s timeline and their options. Some residents expressed frustration with Chisholm, saying she has not kept them updated.

Chisholm, though, said she has little information to share.

“I don’t know what’s next,” said Chisholm, more commonly known as ‘Chiz.’ Chisholm said Saturday she is not sure what options her residents have, just before leaving town for a week for medical care.

“I can’t, in good conscience, get people out just because people want me to get people out,” she said. “They have to have a good place to go and they have to want to go there.”

Chisholm enlisted the help of local housing activists to educate residents about current COVID-19 eviction moratoriums and other tenant protection laws. Those quick, happenstance informational sessions as residents are entering or leaving the building are the only assistance they have received, said a resident who goes by "Wolfgang."

He said the information from housing activists is important, but he is hoping for visits from county officials and social workers to help residents make solid, longer-term plans.

“Me and my psychiatrist I work with are trying to find something through SPOA [Single Point Of Access] or some other program,” Wolfgang said, “but as for the people here, I don’t know how many have a plan in place.”

Potter said the likely new owners may continue to run the three-house property as a boarding facility, but no concrete plans have been released yet. Potter said the owners will probably have a clearer vision for the property after several upcoming inspections. She added that the current owner and buyer agreed that all residents must be moved out before the sale is finalized.

County Executive Pat Ryan did not respond to a handful of emailed questions by Tuesday afternoon, but previously told Spectrum News his office and other county agencies are working diligently to place residents in new homes.

Potter estimated that 20 residents have already been placed.

Disabled Adult Norma (on right) will soon be displaced from her Kingston, #NY boarding home, and isn’t sure what’s next.

“There’s a lack of communication,” she said. “Anything you hear, you hear from another resident — That’s bologna because it’s not official.”

Story at 6pm. pic.twitter.com/YbtrlMDpKo

— Ben Nandy (@BenNandyNews) April 13, 2021