Public housing in Puerto Rico

Public housing in Puerto Rico is a subsidized system of housing units, mostly consisting of housing projects (Residenciales, Barriadas, or Caserios Publicos, in Spanish), which are provided for low-income families in Puerto Rico. The system is mainly financed with programs from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are 322 public housing developments in Puerto Rico.[1]

Introduction

Neighborhoods in Puerto Rico are often divided into three types: barrio, urbanización (urbanization) and residencial público (public housing).[2] An urbanización is a type of housing where land is developed into lots, often by a private developer, and where single-family homes are built. More recently, non single-family units, such as condominiums and townhouses are being built which also fall into this category.[3] (In Puerto Rico, a condominiun is a housing unit located in a high-rise building. It is popularly called an "apartamento", or, alternatively, "apartamiento" (English: apartment), whether or not its resident owns the unit or lives it as a renter.) Public housing, on the other hand, are housing units built with government funding. These have traditionally consisted multi-family dwellings in housing complexes called a Barriada or a Caserío Publico (and more recently a Residencial), and where all exterior grounds consist of shared areas. Increasingly, however, public housing developments are being built that consist of other than the traditional multi-family dwellings with all exterior grounds consisting of shared outside area, for example, public housing may consist of single family garden apartments units. Finally, a home that is located in neither an urbanizacion nor of a public housing development is said to be located in (and to be a part of) a barrio. [4] In Puerto Rico, a "barrio" also has a second and very different meaning official meaning: the geographical area into which a municipios is divided for official administrative purposes. In this sense, urbanizaciones as well as public housing developments (as well as one or several "barrios" in the popular sense) may be located in one of these 901 official geographic areas.[5]

History

Puerto Rico's Department of Housing, created in the 1970s, succeeded the Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation, or Corporación de Renovación Urbana y Vivienda (CRUV, its Spanish acronym), which was created in the late 1950s to succeed the Puerto Rico Housing Authority, created by Gov. Luis Muñoz Marín and headed by César Cordero Dávila, to consolidate several state and municipal housing agencies. Puerto Rico Housing and CRUV were responsible for the design and construction of many of the older "residenciales" in Puerto Rico. The first three public housing developments, Ponce De Leon, Santiago Iglesias and Caribe, are located in the city of Ponce. Henry Klumb provided early support for those efforts and one of his protégés, George McClintock was the first Architect-in-Chief of Puerto Rico Housing in the early-to-mid 1950's. Among Klumb's designs are the 1945 design work for the Cataño, San Lorenzo, Lares and Aguadilla Puerto Rico Housing projects, Naranjito Public Housing Project in 1957, Comerío Public Housing Project in 1958, and Residencial Las Virtudes, designed and built between 1969 ad 1976. Klumb had previously done work for several municipal housing agencies, including Mayagüez' and Ponce's.

In 1973, José Enrique Arrarás became the first Secretary of Housing. He was appointed by Gov. Rafael Hernández Colón.

Organization

Rear view of a public housing project, near Plaza Las Americas.

Operating funds are provided by HUD for tenant rent subsidizing and for the construction, acquisition, maintenance, and operations of public housing projects, which are in turn administered by several entities throughout the island called Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). The main Public Housing Agency in Puerto Rico is the Public Housing Administration (Administración de Vivienda Pública, or AVP, in Spanish) under the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (Departamento de Vivienda in Spanish). Other Public Housing Agencies include certain municipalities which are authorized by HUD and commonwealth law to operate housing projects independent of the main state PHA. All PHAs can contract a Management Agent (usually a for-profit enterprise) to manage day-to-day operations, including processing tenant complaints, housing unit repairs, and overall project maintenance.

HUD also allows private non-profit organizations and for-profit enterprises to manage housing projects as PHAs, offering program funding and tax incentives (Tax Credit Projects) in order to compensate for operating costs. However, these types of public housing projects are not as common in Puerto Rico as those which are managed by the state.

The PHA is responsible for providing adequate living arrangements for program tenants, in compliance with Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) (formerly Housing Quality Standards (HQS)) set by HUD. Additionally, the PHA must manage all federal funds received in an efficient and reasonable way, in compliance with HUD prescribed guidelines and with Chapter 24 of the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Management Agents are also required to comply with these standards. The USDA provides federal loan programs (including direct loans or loan guarantees) to PHAs for the construction of new public housing projects or acquisition of existing living complexes to convert into public projects.

Eligible tenants

The tenant rent subsidizing system allows low-income and impoverished individuals and families to reside in a subsidized housing unit just as long as their income status complies with federal regulations (but no family assistance has ever been terminated because of excess of income limit). Families wanting to participate must first be included in a Waiting List, which includes all citizens applying for subsidized housing by order of application date. Families must therefore "wait until their turn" for eligibility as the PHA selects families by that order, a process which in Puerto Rico may take several years. Applicants must provide evidence of low-income status (HUD recommends a copy of a filed income tax return) and are Given a housing unit for which HUD will subsidize its rent.

Criticism

Supporters of the system argue that Puerto Rico's annual income per person is $12,000 (2004),[6] a figure which is much lower than in the United States and which explains why a relatively larger portion of the island population participates in the system.

List of public housing projects in Puerto Rico

The following is a list of public housing projects located in Puerto Rico, and includes those that are managed by the Government of Puerto Rico, by municipalities, and by private non-profit and for-profit entities:

Adjuntas

Aguadilla

Aibonito

Añasco

Arecibo

Barceloneta

Barranquitas

Bayamón

Caguas

Canovanas

Carolina

Cataño

Cayey

PRIVATIZADO

Ciales

Cidra

Coamo

Corozal

Dorado

Fajardo

Florida

Guayama

Guayanilla

Guaynabo

Alejandrino

Gurabo

Hormigueros

Humacao

Juana Díaz

Juncos

Lares

Las Piedras

Loíza

Luquillo

Manatí

Mayagüez

Moca

Morovis

Naguabo

Ponce

Quebradillas

Río Grande

Sabana Grande

San Germán

San Juan

San Lorenzo

San Sebastian

Toa Alta

Toa Baja

Trujillo Alto

Villalba

Yabucoa

Yauco

Vega Alta

Vega Baja

Vieques

Public Housing Authorities

Public Housing Authorities are government agencies designated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to administer federally subsidized housing units.

Source: Public Housing Agency (HA) Profiles, US Department of Housing and Urban Development
PHA Code
(RQ Number)  		 Name   Government
type  		 Type of
public housing
  		 Total rentable units  
RQ005 Puerto Rico Public Housing Authority State Low-Rent53,610
RQ006 Municipality of San Juan LocalSection 85,127
RQ007 Municipality of Caguas LocalSection 81,291
RQ008 Municipality of Ponce LocalSection 81,608
RQ009 Municipality of Mayagüez Local Section 8842
RQ010 Municipality of Moca LocalSection 867
RQ011 Municipality of Bayamón LocalSection 82,207
RQ012 Municipality of Aguadilla LocalSection 8265
RQ013 Municipality of Trujillo AltoLocalSection 8679
RQ014 Municipality of Carolina LocalSection 8741
RQ015 Municipality of Dorado LocalSection 8277
RQ016 Municipality of Guaynabo LocalSection 8383
RQ017 Municipality of Guayama LocalSection 8264
RQ018 Municipality of Cayey LocalSection 8239
RQ019 Municipality of Peñuelas LocalSection 8240
RQ020 Municipality of Arecibo LocalSection 8928
RQ021 Municipality of Guayanilla LocalSection 8146
RQ022 Municipality of Toa Baja LocalSection 8244
RQ023 Municipality of Corozal LocalSection 8139
RQ024 Municipality of Morovis LocalSection 853
RQ025 Municipality of Humacao LocalSection 8276
RQ026 Municipality of San SebastianLocalSection 8139
RQ027 Municipality of Loíza LocalSection 85
RQ028 Municipality of ManatíLocalSection 8182
RQ029 Municipality of Maricao LocalSection 835
RQ030 Municipality of San GermánLocalSection 888
RQ031 Municipality of QuebradillasLocal Section 8141
RQ032 Municipality of Vega BajaLocal Section 8277
RQ033 Municipality of Utuado Local Section 8197
RQ034 Municipality of Comerio LocalSection 8118
RQ035 Municipality of Hormigueros LocalSection 8103
RQ036 Municipality of FajardoLocalSection 878
RQ037 Municipality of San LorenzoLocalSection 8107
RQ038 Municipality of Juana DíazLocalSection 8115
RQ039 Municipality of Hatillo LocalSection 873
RQ040 Municipality of Camuy LocalSection 8156
RQ041 Municipality of Gurabo LocalSection 8143
RQ042 Municipality of Coamo LocalSection 860
RQ043 Municipality of Añasco LocalSection 8110
RQ044 Municipality of GuanicaLocal Section 854
RQ045 Municipality of YabucoaLocal Section 8117
RQ046 Municipality of Las MaríasLocal Section 840
RQ047 Municipality of Naguabo LocalSection 8121
RQ048 Municipality of Sabana Grande LocalSection 8156
RQ049 Municipality of Villalba LocalSection 884
RQ050 Municipality of Río GrandeLocalSection 878
RQ052 Municipality of Ciales LocalSection 874
RQ053 Municipality of Toa Alta LocalSection 8181
RQ054 Municipality of Barceloneta LocalSection 8125
RQ055 Municipality of AdjuntasLocalSection 852
RQ056 Municipality of Vega AltaLocalSection 8 76
RQ057 Municipality of PatillasLocalSection 8 83
RQ058 Municipality of Santa IsabelLocalSection 870
RQ059 Municipality of Aibonito LocalSection 858
RQ060 Municipality of Barranquitas LocalSection 8180
RQ061 Municipality of Cabo Rojo LocalSection 8 107
RQ062 Municipality of Cidra LocalSection 8 190
RQ063 Municipality of Las PiedrasLocalSection 8 125
RQ064 Municipality of Naranjito LocalSection 8 123
RQ065 Municipality of LaresLocalSection 8 73
RQ066 Municipality of Isabela LocalSection 8 86
RQ067 Municipality of Rincón LocalSection 8 34
RQ068 Municipality of ArroyoLocalSection 8 217
RQ069 Municipality of SalinasLocalSection 897
RQ070 Municipality of CeibaLocalSection 8 41
RQ071 Municipality of Lajas LocalSection 8 69
RQ072 Municipality of Florida LocalSection 8 45
RQ073 Municipality of Aguada LocalSection 8 121
RQ074 Municipality of ViequesLocal Section 8 116
RQ075 Municipality of CanóvanasLocalSection 8 34
RQ076 Municipality of Jayuya LocalSection 8 4
RQ077 Municipality of Juncos LocalSection 8 55
RQ080 Municipality of OrocovisLocal Section 8 47
RQ081 Municipality of LuquilloLocalSection 869
RQ082 Municipality of Aguas Buenas LocalSection 8 161
RQ083 Municipality of Yauco LocalSection 8 95
RQ901 Puerto Rico Department of Housing Res. Jardines de GuanicaStateSection 88,510
RQ911 Puerto Rico Housing Finance Company State Section 8 2,577

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Public Housing Projects in PR Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  2. ↑ La realidad de las mujeres en las cárceles del país. Primera Hora. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  3. ↑ La realidad de las mujeres en las cárceles del país. Primera Hora. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  4. ↑ La realidad de las mujeres en las cárceles del país. Primera Hora. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Los alcaldes de los barrios. Rafael Torrech San Inocencio. "Barrios del Sur." El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 16 January 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Trouble on Welfare Island", The Economist, May 25, 2005, retrieved July 13, 2006
  7. 1 2 3 MENSAJE DE PRESUPUESTO: AÑO FISCAL 2011-2012. Page 29. Hon. María “Mayita” Meléndez Altieri, Mayor. Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 30 May 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Listado de Residenciales: Ponce. Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. Departamento de la Vivienda. Administracion de Vivienda Publica. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  9. 1 2 Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 160.
  10. 1 2 MENSAJE DE PRESUPUESTO: AÑO FISCAL 2011-2012. Page 31. Hon. María “Mayita” Meléndez Altieri, Mayor. Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 30 May 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  11. ↑ SENADO DE PUERTO RICO, RESOLUCION CONJUNTA R. C. del S. 898. Senator Seilhamer Rodríguez. GOBIERNO DE PUERTO RICO. 16ta Asamblea 6ta Sesión. Legislativa Ordinaria. SENADO DE PUERTO RICO. R. C. del S. 898. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  12. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 165.
  13. ↑ not to be confused with Urbanizacion Las Delicias, a private single-family homes development
  14. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 174.
  15. 1 2 Radican cargos por robo a hermanos que simulaban asalto en Ponce. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 12 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  16. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 180.
  17. ↑ Arrestan a 33 en Ponce y Juana Díaz. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  18. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 166.
  19. 1 2 Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 176.
  20. 1 2 Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 173.
  21. ↑ Not to be confused with Urbanizacion Lirios del Sur, a private single-family homes development
  22. ↑ Mensaje de Situacion y Presupuesto del Alcalde de Ponce, Hon. Francisco Zayas Seijo, a la Legislatura Municipal de Ponce Correspondiente al Ano Fiscal 2008-2009. Hon. Francisco Zayas Seijo. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Page 54. Primera Hora. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  23. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 175.
  24. ↑ “Alcaldesa en Tu Comunidad” llega a residencial Ponce De León. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  25. 1 2 3 Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 181.
  26. ↑ Not to be confused with barrio Portugues, one of the 31 barrios of Ponce);also not to be confused with Barriada Portugues, a low-income urban community. (See Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 32.)
  27. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 182.
  28. ↑ Alcaldesa visita Residencial Pedro J. Rosaly. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  29. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 184.
  30. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 187.
  31. ↑ Not to be confused with barrio Tibes, one of the 31 barrios of Ponce);also not to be confused with Tibes, a sector low-income urban community. (See Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 33.)
  32. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 188.
  33. ↑ Mayita anuncia la primera fase de (SITRAS). El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  34. ↑ Mayita escucha a los vecinos de Villas del Caribe. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  35. ↑ Sunny A. Cabrera Salcedo. Hacia un Estudio Integral de la Toponimia del Municipio de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ph. D. dissertation. May 1999. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Graduate School. Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Page 189.

References

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