Nickelsville: Breaking News from Missoula, MT

Every so often, news pops up about Seattle from out of state press accounts, that do not show up in Seattle until later. Virtually every media outlet has been writing the end of Nickelsville at their current location since the state's DOT issued an eviction notice. Not so fast, say Veterans for Peace, the non profit that is sponsoring Nickelsville. From KPAX TV 8 in Missoula, via AP:

A homeless encampment in Seattle has gone to court to try to block an eviction notice by the state.

The request for a temporary restraining order against the state Transportation Department was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court by Veterans for Peace Greater Seattle, Chapter 22. That group and a number of individual plaintiffs represent about 70 residents of Nickelsville, a tent city named for Mayor Greg Nickels.

The encampment was established in September and has moved to various sites since then. It's now at an undeveloped lot managed by the state agency in the city's south end (at Second Avenue Northwest and West Marginal Way).

On Monday residents were offered social services and given three days to leave. Authorities say the tent city violates municipal health and safety codes.

UPDATE: Here's the official word from Revel Smith, Real Change Communications Coordinator on behalf of Nickelsville:

Yesterday Attorneys Robert Siegel and Peggy Herman filed a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in Federal District
Court. Judge Richard Martinez said he will issue an order either today or tomorrow. He has decided not to hold a public
hearing before issuing his decision.

If Judge Martinez grants the TRO request, Nickelsville will have up to 2 weeks before a second hearing. At a second hearing a permanent
order might be granted. If Judge Martinez does not issue a Temporary Restraining Order, at 5:00 PM Thursday Nickelsville and arriving supporters will load-up vehicles and trucks, in which case Nickelsville has asked the State to allow up to 12 PM Friday for people who have chosen to leave to leave, and for people to be given the opportunity to move both their own and Nickelsville community property. Nickelsville's residents who commit to stay through the arrival of Police, should this happen, will not be verbally abusive or disrespectful to either those issuing the orders, or those carrying them out.

"It is our opinion that it is both wrong and illegal to remove this community from this permanent site without having another permanent site available. Contrary to some claims, no church or other property owner has offered Nickelsville a site to go to. It is true that a temporary site is not suitable for our community. Our goal is to survive and solve homelessness with this stable, functional alternative, and not suffer continual disruption."