Another longtime tenant, who refused to give her name, said the owners want the existing tenants out so they can charge more.

The sudden influx of homeless families into the hotel has transformed life for the 200 longtime single tenants.

A 72-year-old woman who said she had lived at the hotel since 1971 was sitting on the staircase inside the lobby with another longtime tenant.

"So to lose permanent homes for longtime tenants is just terrible."

A recent article in The Times quotes a longtime tenant as saying that the project was "once a good place to live."

It was accused repeatedly of attempting to force out longtime tenants not associated with the university and open apartments for its own use.

They are resented by longtime tenants who have been trying to get major repairs for years.

Some longtime tenants can get a little confused about whose name is actually on the deed.

"Most of the longtime tenants have had to leave the building because they cannot stand the shooting," he said.

"They made the best of a bad situation," said Robert Brown, a longtime tenant in the building.