Puyallup City Council passes high impact business classification

PUYALLUP  --  The Puyallup City Council unanimously passed a high impact business classification Tuesday night.  This is a tax that would directly impact the New Hope Resource Center, according to the director, Cheryl Borden. “The services are so sparse right now for homeless people in this community,” says Borden.  Borden says New Hope is the only facility of it’s kind in the city, helping people find housing, work and transportation. Even just a simple place to eat and a warm place to sleep during winter. For the last few weeks, the doors remain closed as they work to bring the building up to code, but Cheryl says bigger worries are ahead.  Puyallup City Council members passed a moratorium on new drop in social service centers and, now, a high impact business license for places like New Hope. “A moratorium or a high impact tax that is levied against people providing services to people who are homeless or who have been homeless, will mean that the resources I can refer people to get housed will not be available to them,” says Borden.  While many in the community say the homeless issue, along with mental health and affordable housing, needs to be addressed; homeless people we spoke with say they aren’t going anywhere.  And they’re hoping the city will eventually provide more services for those struggling to find shelter.