Growing Homeless Population Creates Concerns On East Yakima Avenue

Yakima city officials say they're trying to work with Yakima Neighborhood Health to resolve complaints from downtown business owners over a growing population of homeless people at the former bus depot on East Yakima Avenue.

But City Codes Manager Joe Caruso says the city is working without the cooperation of Yakima Neighborhood Health, which has refused to meet with the city over the issue.

Caruso says he's hearing from a lot of downtown business owners and customers who want the city to take action. "They have some serious concerns about things that are going on that are affecting operations and tourism. At this point the city is trying to come together with a plan."

Caruso says the plan will be released soon. Currently the city is in a legal battle with YNH over a plan to open a homeless center at the old Roy's Market at Sixth and Walnut streets.

YNH officials say they won't ask people to leave the former bus station building because they have nowhere else to go.