Pueblo homeless clean-up concerns community members

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The City of Pueblo, along with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad, is currently cleaning up homeless camps along Fountain Creek, as of Wednesday, Sept. 4, but not everyone is on board.

Some people are worried the cleanup could displace around one hundred people, but Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham argues she only saw around five people camped in these areas when she walked through the camps last week.

“[What] the city is doing, is using this as an excuse to displace unhoused people from their homes,” says Dr. Xan Kellogg a volunteer with Project Apollo.

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the City of Pueblo began a new project to clean up homeless camps around Fountain Creek. Mayor Graham says the area has become a safety concern.

“The waterway is endangered by having the trash and the waste down in this area. So the city is out here cutting the brush. We’re chipping the trees, removing all the encampments, and cleaning up any leftover trash,” said the mayor.

The sweeps will target the camps from the 8th Street Bridge to the 4th Street Bridge.

“You also have a lot of illegal dumping. I mean, as you can see behind me, this huge mound of dirt has just all been illegally dumped. There’s not a lot of action that takes place down here, not a lot of people around. So it’s an easy target for people to illegally dump,” said the mayor.

Local non-profit organizations believe the cleanup will displace hundreds and say the city needs to be held accountable.

“It’s hurting people, and it’s not only hurting my unhoused patients, it’s hurting the taxpayers of this community,” said Dr. Kellogg. She works closely with Pueblo’s homeless community by offering medical care and aid to many through Project Apollo. The nonprofit is working to get the city’s attention to stop the sweeps.

“It’s hurting our community at large because I don’t think anyone wants to see more people on the streets. That’s exactly what the sweep is going to do, because where else are they going to go? So, it’s up to our community to decide what we want to be and what we want to stand for,” she added.

However, Mayor Graham says this is not the first sweep done by the city; the last one was two years ago. She also said there are currently 40 open beds at the Rescue Mission and resources are available.

“For those who are either unaware of the resources, or really just want to be on their own… Yeah. Where do you think they really go? I’m hoping that they don’t stay here in Pueblo. We have what we have to offer you if you want to get assistance. There’s places and people to help you do that, but if you want to be resource resistant, you just have to know the city of Pueblo is no longer going to tolerate that,” added the mayor.

Dr. Kellogg says 97% of people who are kicked out of the community will eventually come back.

The cleanup is set to wrap up tomorrow, but the mayor says they will be out there for as long as it takes.

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