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ST. LOUIS — City workers have begun to inspect houses hit by Friday’s tornado, placing color-coded stickers on doors that declare whether entry is safe or prohibited.

Green tags mean the structure is safe. Red ones say: “Danger. Entry prohibited. Violators subject to prosecution.�

The stickers are not meant to condemn homes, Mayor Cara Spencer said. She acknowledged on Thursday that condemnations would begin at some point, but she didn’t know when.

“We recognize that the information that went out was a little scary,� Spencer said at a news conference. “It wasn’t very clear. We’re working on rectifying that as we speak.�

It’s a key moment for the city and its residents. The city has to evaluate the structural damage of each building hit by Friday’s tornado, so it can communicate to residents which buildings aren’t safe, and also so it can estimate damage to be eligible for federal aid — information Spencer has called a “critically important piece� of the disaster application.

At the same time, residents believe the stickers are the start of a process that leads to them being told they can no longer live in their homes.

Several on Thursday said they fear what’s coming.

Catina Rhodes, 54, is staying in her house, even though the tornado ripped off the roof. She’s afraid if she leaves her belongings inside will be stolen.

But she got a red sticker on her door. So she knows she’ll have to leave. Just not when.

“I’m trying to get that together,� Rhodes said. “It’s just hard.�

Friday’s storm damaged homes from Clayton to Granite City. But the worst hit was north St. Louis. Cars flipped, roofs were torn off and entire floors in some homes destroyed. Dozens of people were injured, five were killed.

The city first estimated 5,000 structures were in the tornado’s path.

On Thursday, Spencer said that was just an initial estimate. As the city has been evaluating the houses, the numbers are dropping, she said.

Still, she estimated thousands of people have been displaced. “It is very significant,� she said.

City inspectors started evaluating damaged houses for structural integrity on Monday, Spencer said.

And she understands that caused some distress.

“We know right now a lot of people are very worried about the condemnation notices — the notices on buildings,� Spencer said. “We want to assure you right now that it is not our intent nor are we going to be punishing residents in any way, shape or form for entering your property.�

A Spencer spokesman, Rasmus Jorgensen, said Spencer misspoke when she called the stickers condemnation notices.

He reiterated that the stickers are meant to be purely informational, and the city was distributing pamphlets to residents telling them they don’t have to worry, at least immediately, about condemnation or prosecution, despite the intimidating stickers.

Still, after the press conference on Thursday, Spencer confirmed condemnations will, at some point begin.

“We are working on getting that solid today as well,� Spencer said.

Eugene Thomas, 60, rents his house on Enright Avenue. It had a red sticker on the door after the tornado blew out the back half of the building. He’s staying in a motel temporarily but already looking for new housing.

“Red means get out,� Thomas said.

Jerry Turner, 66, said he got a yellow sticker on the door of the boarding house where he rents a room. He thought the building was fine after the tornado until heavy rain this week caused his roof to cave in. His building might be fixable, but he suspects a lot of the houses on his block won’t survive.

“I think there’s going to be a lot more room around here,� Turner said.