Pueblo agencies have plan in place to improve Lower Westside

The City of Pueblo and the Pueblo Urban Renewal Authority say they have a plan in place to fix the areas of blight in the Lower Westside.

This comes after the city conducted a study that shows there is blight in the area. The findings showed inadequate infrastructure, flood hazards, deteriorating structures and buildings, conditions endangering life, environmental contamination and defective street layout.

City senior planner Jerry Pacheco said the plan to fix the area includes using the money people pay for property taxes in the Lower Westside and use those funds to improve the area. Pacheco said the planning department will also look for grants and ask the city for money, also.

Pacheco said the money will be used to clean the area, improve the infrastructure like streets and sidewalks along with improving the deteriorating buildings and figuring out purposes for the vacant lots in the area.

Lorraine Sisneros lives in the area. She said it’s about time there is a plan for the Lower Westside.

“Hopefully, they will get the streets cleaned up and weeds cleaned up and make this little area a little bit nicer,” she said.

Pacheco said the price and how long the project will take to finish hasn’t been determined.

Pueblo City Council has to vote on the plan. That’s set for July 13.