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New location offered as insurance problems plague Pueblo warming shelter plan

Posted at 8:40 PM, Nov 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-21 22:41:53-05

PUEBLO – Just last week, the Pueblo City Council approved spending $250,000 as part of an emergency ordinance to fund a warming shelter for the homeless made up of large tents on a W. 4th St. property.

News5 has learned another party has now come forward offering warehouse property at 901 W. 9th St. as an alternate to use as a temporary homeless shelter.

The idea of changing plans may be well received by organizers as there are problems obtaining insurance for the old Wayside Cross Rescue Mission property.  How the idea will be received in the city is not clear.

The Pueblo Rescue Mission was tasked with hiring personnel and planning the project with the funding from the city. The group planned on having three men and three women on staff, allowing at least two people to be on site every night.

The idea was to provide two tents, one for men and one for women, as a low barrier shelter for anyone with the necessities of heat, a place to sleep and port-a-potties.

However, there remain concerns about how to ensure the safety and security of anyone who uses the shelter or lives nearby. Talks about where to put a homeless shelter in the city have resulted in contentious conversations all year long as those who support helping those less fortunate try to find a solution are pitted against property owners who don’t want to take a chance on problems popping up in their neighborhood.