Local ministry in Pueblo still helping people find housing after Val U Stay Inn was closed by city
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - A ministry in Pueblo is working to find housing for people who were forced out of a motel due to a public health crisis.
The City of Pueblo shut down the Val U Stay Inn and Suites after it failed to obtain a lodging license. The mayor said the conditions inside the motel on Hudson Ave. were unlivable due to filth. The closure then left dozens of people scrambling to find a place to stay.
Last Thursday, a declaration of temporary housing and shelter emergency was issued. This meant Crazy Faith Ministries was able to open its doors to the public to help. According to the director of Crazy Faith Ministries, Tammy Kainz, over a dozen people walked their doors last week looking for a warm meal and a place to sleep.
"They were in a complete panic," said Kainz.
For the past seven days, Crazy Faith Ministries housed people who were left with nowhere to go after the motel was shut down.
RELATED: Pueblo motel closed after being deemed a ‘public health crisis’
12-15 people were able to sleep inside the facility, while another dozen received help from volunteers.
"I'd say the first 24 hours were a little chaotic," said Kainz.
Kainz said her team hauled people on a bus from the motel.
"It was getting IDs, it was getting birth certificates, it was going back to the motel to grab a few things. It was providing clean clothes, it was providing transportation, or some bus passes. So each person was different, maybe taking a trip to a social security office," said Kainz.
While the emergency shelter now sits quiet, the work is far from over.
Kainz said they're still working to get a half dozen people into housing.
"Many of them said that they're kind of glad they see the silver lining in this, that it needed to happen because the conditions were so bad that they are glad that they're out. So we've heard that from, I think, everybody," said Kainz
The city of Pueblo said the owner of the Val U Stay Inn and Suites is currently working to get the building up to code.
KRDO13 reached out to the owner but we have not heard back yet.
