Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter stays open for now

UPDATE: The AJC reports that a judge has ordered the city to restore the shelter’s water service on the condition that the Task Force make a $15,000 payment by June 30.

Just after noon today, Anita Beaty, executive director of the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless was involved in a drive-by: Her pro-bono attorney pulled up to the curb outside the giant Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter; Beaty came out of the building and signed some legal documents, which were then stamped by a notary on the hood of the car; and the attorney then raced off to Fulton Superior Court to try to get a judge to restore water service to the shelter.

“Hopefully, we’ll get relief from the court,” Beaty said after the car pulled away. She said she expected to have a court hearing later in the day.

Beaty is in a race against time. The shelter stayed open last night, after the city had shut off its water because of unpaid bills, but had been ordered by Fulton County health officials to vacate the building by noon today if water service hadn’t been restored.

Although the Task Force had missed the noon deadline, Beaty said she was talking with county officials about getting an extension. In the meantime, well-wishers continue to drop off cases of bottled water.

“While the county strictly enforcing the law, they’re working with us to solve this problem,” Beaty said. “They’ve been very helpful.”