A King County Superior Court judge granted on Aug. 10 a preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the Port of Seattle from demolishing the Lora Lake Apartments.

Judge Deborah Fleck granted the motion, requested in a lawsuit filed last month by the King County Housing Authority, the day after Port of Seattle commissioners voted 3-2 to raze the public housing complex in Burien for commercial development.

The housing authority claims it has the right to seize the property with 162 apartments for public use.

A trial on the merits of the housing authority's condemnation lawsuit against the Port was set for March 24.

In making her ruling, Fleck found that the housing authority has the power to condemn property not dedicated to public use.

"This is a very positive development for affordable housing in the region," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "This ruling gives us the time we need. I am committed to finding a solution that benefits all parties."

King County Housing Authority executive director Stephen Norman added, "This buys the time needed to find a compromise that works for all the parties involved."

Burien City Council members and Port of Seattle officials were not immediately available for comment.

A second suit, which was filed on Aug. 8 against the Port and the city of Burien by a group called Citizens to Defend Affordable Housing, alleges that Environmental Impact Statements used by the defendants to justify demolition of Lora Lake were based on a flawed analysis.

"The port is making a horrible decision based on 10-year-old documents that today are totally irrelevant," said Peter Buck, attorney for the plaintiffs.

The Port has declared the property within Burien's Northeast Redevelopment Area surplus and solicited proposals for its development.

In March the housing authority asked that Lora Lake be maintained for low-income housing.