KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - There are about a dozen people in Knoxville trying to figure out what's next after the city shut down their transitional shelter.

The city said the shelters at Vestal and Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Churches were shut down due to fire code violations, but officials with Vestal said they've not been able to get clear answers on what to do.

"I was at work on Monday, and I came in. An hour later, we're told we have 20 minutes to pack up our stuff and go," said Justin Cook, who was living at the shelter.

About a dozen people already dealing with homelessness, including Cook, thought they had found a temporary home at the two churches.

"We have been shut down by the city, and it came down very hard and very fast," said Amy Williams, co-director of Vestal Villas.

Officials with the City of Knoxville closed down the two shelters this week due to violations of fire codes.

"They were using these individual education rooms as basically apartments or living spaces, so you had different living situations throughout and we had no idea those were there," said Mark Wilbanks with the Knoxville Fire Department.

The fire department said the main violations were a lack of monitored fire systems, sprinklers, fire extinguishers and properly marked exits.

"We give them time before we ever say 'You must vacate or cease what you're doing,'" Wilbanks said.

But Williams said it didn't happen that way.

"Unfortunately, what we say and what the city says are two different things," Williams said.

Williams said they were not given much time and didn't receive a clear path of what to do to bring the building up to code.

"It's hard. Um, I think that we all consider each other family," Williams said. "We may be a misfit little family, but we are family and we love each other."

Those who had to leave are now staying in a Motel 6. They said they were given little consolation after losing their home.

"Resources as in a bus pass, and a $10 Kroger gift card, and a week-long hotel stay. After that, nothing. Haven't heard anything, no plans," said Orin Paschal, who was living at the shelter.

"It's hard not knowing what to expect," said Rose Cook, another person who was living at the shelter. "It's hard trying to be hopeful, and it's like all the hope got yanked out right before the holidays."

The Holston UMC Conference and the Community Action Coalition are splitting the cost of the hotel stay.

But for now, it's a constant worry about what to do going forward.

"Do they have a place to stay right here, right now, for this week? Yes, because folks other than the city are paying for it. But what about after this week," Williams said.

KFD also said the shelter lacked the proper permits to house people for more than a couple of days. It said once the two churches bring their buildings up to code and get those permits, they will be allowed to reopen.

However, those upgrades will be costly. The churches said they're doing what they can to be able to house people again.