For 80-year-old Auwina Weed, being home on Thanksgiving Day is not an option.

She is one of four tenants of 629 Caroline St. who were displaced Saturday after city officials deemed their home unsafe on Friday and ordered everyone out within 24 hours.

The Bahama Conch Community Land Trust (BCCLT) owns the property, but Weed has lived there for more than 30 years.

She knew the previous owners and took care of the property when they became too elderly to do so.

Weed has been granted a lifetime estate at the house, and before the land trust bought it, she ensured that the bills were paid and the property was maintained.

"I am an emotional basket case right now," she said Wednesday morning while staying with friends on Cudjoe Key.

Those friends need their extra bedroom back on Monday. At that time, Weed said she will see whether the Key West Housing Authority has anything available for her.

"I've had to board my cats, and who knows who is going to pay for that," she said.

BCCLT board member Bob Kelly said he has been in touch with the displaced tenants and assured them the board will do everything possible to have them back in their homes for Christmas.

"And we'll forgive their rent for the period that they are not in there," Kelly said.

He said the four female tenants may be able to stay temporarily in another BCCLT-owned property on Albury Street.

The city is auditing the BCCLT and the organization's former executive director, Norma Jean Sawyer, is under suspicion of financial mismanagement. She did not return The Citizen's phone calls seeking comment Wednesday.

The Key West City Commission will hear the final results of the audit at a Dec. 14 meeting.

The city's Building Department has issued orders for several repairs at 629 Caroline St., including a fire escape, new stairway, new roof and sturdy balcony rails and stairway railings.

Weed noted that no work was being done on the property during Wednesday morning's rain.

She was grateful to be spending Thanksgiving with friends, but had not spoken with her neighbors. Two others were staying with friends, while the fourth was staying in a hotel.

mbolen@keysnews.com