Tenants of the Cascade and Senator Apartments shared a loud and clear message outside Yakima City Hall Thursday; they do not want to be homeless.

Now the city has extended the deadline for the buildings to be vacated to next Thursday, July 18th.

Tenants were originally supposed to be out by noon Friday the 12th. The city says they have given the owner of the apartments eight months to comply with fire and safety code regulations, but until now nothing has been done.

The city says the owner is only now taking steps to fix the problems.

Tenants were protesting outside City Hall Thursday saying they cannot afford new housing and if they get kicked out, they will become homeless.

"I don't know what we're going to do, but we're trying to save our home so we don't have to be on the streets, We don't have nowhere to go," said tenant Irene Briggs.

Earlier this week contractors started putting in new drywall in both buildings. Electrical issues are also being addressed. City leaders say it is unfortunate that progress is being made only after an order to vacate was issued. But they say their main interest was always the safety of the people living in the downtown apartments.

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