Fred Corbit, long time Magnolia resident, is the Northwest Justice Project attorney who is representing three residents at Nickelsville in Discovery Park.  He is currently working with the city to keep them from removing the homeless campers who are set up behind the Daybreak Star Cultural Center on land leased from Seattle.

Corbit says that the Discovery Park site is not a permanent solution to the problem and he wants to work with the city on behalf of his clients for a long term plan.

“These are people who need a place to be.  Sweeping them out is not the answer.  There must be a place for them,” said Corbit.  “Where are they going to go?  Are you going to put them in jail?  They will end up someplace.”

He says that his neighbors and friends in Magnolia tell him they are concerned about this issue and he believes most people are sympathetic to the plight of the campers who moved to Discovery Park last Wednesday after being removed from a site in South Seattle.  Corbit has spent time at the camp and said he has seen Magnolia residents who have come by to offer assistance to the homeless campers by bringing food and supplies.

Corbit is representing three individuals who live at the camp, not SHARE/WHEEL or organizer Scott Morrow.   He said his clients will leave if asked to do so by the United Tribles of All Nations but that has not happened yet.

Corbit is meeting with the city today and hopes to reach a resolution before the current deadline of 12pm on Wednesday for Nickelsville to clear out or be removed by the city.

Corbit has been working full time for the Northwest Justice Project since last year.  The group provides civil legal services to persons of limited financial means.  Prior to that he was with the national law firm of Heller Ehrman.