A group called Citizens to Defend Affordable Housing has sued the city of Burien and Port of Seattle over the proposed demolition of the lower-income Lora Lakes Apartment complex.

The group, which represents homeless and low-income residents, claims that the port didn't analyze how the loss of 162 apartments would affect the region's affordable housing supply.

The port bought the apartment complex in Burien years ago to make room for the airport's third runway. Because port officials originally thought all of the apartments would have to be demolished for runway safety, it didn't include an option to preserve them in its original studies, the suit alleges.

As it turns out, nearly two-thirds of the apartments lie outside of the mandatory Federal Aviation Administration demolition zone and could be kept as housing.

The suit argues that a demolition permit granted by the city of Burien, which prefers to see industrial or commercial uses so close to the airport, was based on the port's flawed analysis.

"The port is making a horrible decision based on 10-year- old documents that today are totally irrelevant," said plaintiff