Pueblo’s temporary warming shelter not ready for homeless

The Homeless community continues to wait for the new temporary warming shelter to open in Pueblo.

City Council found their ideal spot for the shelter two weeks ago but now the doors still won’t open.

Pueblo Councilman Mark Aliff told KRDO two weeks prior that he hoped to have the shelter operational by Monday the tenth of December — Monday. However, that just didn’t happen.

The plan was and is to convert the old Pueblo Food building on the nine hundred block of West 9th Street into Pueblo’s temporary warming shelter for this winter. However, the building doesn’t appear to be ready to house hundreds of homeless.

“There is remodeling that needs to take place inside the building, but it’s very minor and only should take a few days,” said Aliff two weeks ago.

“We are moving forward I am ready to go,” said Kathy Kline with Pueblo Rescue Mission, the group that will run the shelter. “I have staff. I have an army of volunteers ready to move in as soon as the city has completed the project.”

Kline said the former Pueblo Foods needed new walls to separate men from women, a new heater, as well as a ramp in compliance with federal law.

However, while she waits the Pueblo Rescue Missions Director has been meeting with concerned neighbors.

“We just want everyone to know this is a very professional operation,” said Kline.

As for when the doors will open, Kline doesn’t know, but she hopes by the weekend.

“Please be patient Pueblo,” pleaded Kline. “The homeless are patient. I talk to them every day, they are patiently waiting.”

Private contractors hired by the city have been at the future shelter site since late last week. Not long after it was announced that this would be the spot of the temporary warming shelter this winter.

Councilman Mark Aliff could not meet for an on-camera interview for this story and did not know when the shelter would be open for the local homeless.