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In spite of a housing deficit affecting low-income households, data presented during a government transition hearing on Thursday indicated there are over 300,000 vacant homes that municipalities could utilize for urgently needed housing for their residents.
Housing Secretary William Rodríguez was unable to provide exact figures on how many homes still feature blue tarp roofs, seven years following Hurricane Maria. Blanca Fernández González, Director of the Housing Financing Authority (AFV in Spanish), acknowledged having 400 homes ready, yet noted that despite having $12 million in subsidies, these funds have not been applied to housing solutions.
These points were highlighted during the second day’s sessions of the incoming government transition committee hearings.
Rodríguez stressed the beneficial impact on over 119,000 families on the island who gained from programs designed to ensure affordable, safe, and resilient housing.
“It’s not just about providing a house; it’s about making homeownership feasible and serving as a stabilizing force for those who live there,” the Housing Secretary declared. “By ensuring a secure environment, access to essential services, and an enhanced quality of life for communities, we have laid a strong foundation that encourages our people to remain in Puerto Rico. This has been our focus in recent years, and it’s an effort that has brought forth the achievements we celebrate today.”
As indicated in the hearings, the Department of Housing reports having supported over 10,000 families through the Repair, Reconstruction or Relocation Program; assisted more than 11,500 families in purchasing homes via the Direct Buyer Assistance program; completed around 34 social housing projects, and constructed 851 housing units for low- to moderate-income families.
Similarly, Rodríguez noted the positive effects on more than 2,600 seniors over the age of 60 under the Rental and Housing Improvement Subsidy for Low-Income Elderly, as well as the recognition of over 3,000 families through the Title Authorization program, among other initiatives.
Beyond offering fair, safe, and affordable housing options, Rodríguez mentioned that the Housing Department’s goals over the past four years have also included creating socioeconomic development opportunities and enhancing Puerto Rico’s infrastructure.
Nevertheless, in response to inquiries from former Popular Democratic Party Rep. Jorge Colberg Toro, Rodríguez could not specify how many households still reside in homes covered with blue tarps, other than those who had sought Housing assistance, seven years after Maria.
“To me, it is unacceptable that people, especially children, still live under blue tarps,” he expressed.
Rodríguez maintained that all individuals who reached out for assistance from the agency were supported, while acknowledging that those without homeownership could not qualify for aid.
Committee Chairman Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz questioned Rodríguez regarding a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development along with the U.S. Postal Service, which uncovered a stock of over 300,000 vacant homes. Rodríguez mentioned that the agency was conducting its own survey and had already identified about 50,000 unoccupied houses.
Rivera Cruz pointed out that instead of using funds to construct affordable housing, towns could leverage this inventory to house residents. He remarked on the difficulties young individuals face in qualifying for mortgages to purchase homes and criticized Fernández González, the AFV director, for her lack of assistance.
