Member Spotlight: Gary Quintana, Lead Housing Inspector for the City Of Pueblo

When Gary Quintana walks into a home, he’s not just checking boxes on an inspection sheet, he’s making sure his community in Pueblo has safe, dignified housing. 

As Lead Inspector at the Housing Authority of Pueblo, Gary plays a vital role in ensuring that residents have access to clean, livable conditions. Whether that means holding landlords accountable or helping tenants navigate housing issues, his work reflects a deep commitment to public service.

“The interaction I have with the people that we serve,” Gary explains, “that’s what makes the job meaningful.”

It’s not always easy. Some days, the housing conditions he sees are difficult to witness. But that’s exactly what drives him. “Our mission is safe, sanitary living conditions,” he says. “And as the lead inspector, I go into homes that—yikes.

"But again, you hold landlords responsible. You hold tenants responsible. And they get to know you—not just professionally, but personally. Building relationships like that is rewarding.”

Gary’s feels his responsibility to his community doesn't end just with his job responsibilities. That's why he's also a proud union member and a longtime member of AFSCME.

For him, union membership isn’t just about wages or benefits—it’s about security, solidarity, and strength in numbers. “Knowing that we're part of a union makes us very confident,” he says. “It makes me confident to be able to come into our job and know that we are secure and also we are protected with numbers.”

To Gary, by being involved and building his union he is also making his agency function better for the community. “I believe that with being part of the union, we are definitely a more cohesive family than just being fellow coworkers,” he says. “Being able to be there for your brothers and sisters in the union, it's more cohesiveness.”

That's why Gary is encouraging others around to Colorado to do the same and join him in building a strong union for public service workers in Colorado.

“Keep fighting for what you believe in. Show your scars. Because sometimes if you believe in something, you have to fight a battle for what you believe in.”