Abandoned homes could be placed on city registry

More than 1,000 abandoned homes dot neighborhoods across Pueblo.

City code enforcement manager Karen Willson isn’t sure exaclty how many neglected homes exist in the city, but she said the city is drafting an ordinance to address that.

Willson will present an ordinance to Pueblo City Council on July 20 that would require homeowners to register their vacant properties with the city, and maintain them.

“This registry would require them to maintain it to a certain standard. Make sure the property were secure as long as it were vacant,” Willson said.

If they don’t, those homeowners could be fined. The city says the rundown homes aren’t just an eyesore for neighbors, but it also poses health risks.

“They harbor rodents. There’s a problem with squatters who come in and decide to take up residence in the property,” Willson said.

She added that property owners would have to pay a fee to be on the registry. Willson told KRDO NewsChannel 13 she hopes it gives property owners an incentive to fix up their homes.

Lori Winner has made it her business to shame property owners who neglect their homes on the Facebook page: Pueblo House of Shame. She told KRDO NewsChannel13 she wants something done to clean up the vacant homes in the city, but she said another fine isn’t the answer.

“We already have ordinances in place that we can be fining these owners for and to create more paperwork rather than addressing the problem — creating more paperwork is not the answer,” Winner said.

Willson said it’s unknown how much the fine would be.