ORLANDO, Fla --Members of the homeless community living in downtown Orlando said they have been ordered by the city to move their tents.

Many said they were given orange slips noting violations of the city's public nuisance ordinance and were told to move their property.

On Friday evening some people said they were cleaning up the area where their tent used to be, but others said they were choosing to remain in place.

Bishop Flowers, who lives in a tent along Terry Avenue in downtown Orlando, said he and others living on the street have been told they need to move their property.

“The police call the city, which is code enforcement, and they coming down at least twice a week telling us we gotta move our tents,” he said.

People in the area along Washington Street and Terry Avenue received orange notices from the city and Orlando Police Department. They were placed on property, explaining it had to be removed within 24 hours. On Friday some people in the area began packing up their belongings.

“They trying to look for higher ground, because they looking for somewhere they can be left alone without the police saying no camping out,” said Flowers.

Homeless Services Network of Central Florida CEO Martha Are said finding a new place to live can be difficult. It’s a big challenge, she said, for homeless individuals when they are issued these notices, but she applauded the city for giving people a chance to move.

“We are grateful that the city is giving notice,” Are said. “In some communities, police or code enforcement will come through with no notice and disrupt and disband an encampment. That is certainly even more dramatic.”

She said that while the city is balancing difficult issues, they are trying to find that middle ground of honor and dignity for those living on the streets.

“That is the work that they community is undertaking," Are said. "That is the work the city is undertaking and that is the work that our collective partners are trying to engage in."

A city of Orlando spokesperson sent Spectrum News information about the efforts to help the homeless community, saying, in part: “We are focused on a compassionate response that aims to stop the cycle of homelessness by providing needed wrap-around services and connections with our partner agencies to address critical needs like housing, hygiene, etc.”

Flowers said he didn't think cleaning up the area had to include the removal of tents.

“If you gotta clean up, you go around my tent, but leave my tent alone,” he said. “There is always a solution to a problem.”

The city of Orlando spokesperson explained the orange notices are issued for unattended property and serve as a notice before they treat that property as abandoned. If the property is occupied, city officials say resources are provided to the individuals, which includes information about local shelters.