Shortly after Michael Hawley came home from work on Nov. 28, 2023, there was a knock at his door. It was a representative for the Department of Buildings in New York City with news that upended Mr. Hawley’s life: “He told me the building wasn’t structurally sound — and I only had a few hours to leave.”

Construction in the adjacent lot had affected the building in the East Village. There was no certainty regarding when — or if — he would ever have access to his apartment again.

He closed the door and processed the news. Or tried. “Of course, I had a pit in my stomach,” he recalled. He was contemplating how to utilize the few hours he had when there was another knock. This time it was the Red Cross, advising an even shorter window of time. “They said they wanted us to leave as soon as possible.”

Mr. Hawley, who had lived in the apartment since 1993, wasn’t sure where to start. As he hunted down financial documents and family photos, the representatives in the hallway continued knocking on each tenant’s door.

ImageConstruction in the adjacent lot has continued unabated.Credit...Clark Hodgin for The New York Times

Some weren’t home and missed the opportunity to grab what they could.

The Red Cross tried to place all 16 tenants into hotels. Those with pets had to find their own solutions because pet-friendly options weren’t available.

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