ORLANDO, Fla. _ With the Transitional Shelter Assistance program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency concluding by the end of the month, about 656 applicants in Florida will have to decide whether they will stay and look for housing on their own or return to Puerto Rico.
The shelter program ends June 30. With this in mind, the governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello Nevares, visited Central Florida to address the situation with displaced Puerto Ricans in the Sunshine State and to offer relocation options for them to return to the island.
"We would like everyone to return to Puerto Rico. There is only 1 percent without power. Reconstruction funds will reach Puerto Rico, and that will help us improve housing, roads and education. But that is your own decision and we want to make sure that you have the best resources to make the wisest decision, whether it is staying or returning," Rossello said.
During the orientation that took place Saturday at Calvario City Church in Orlando, Rossello was accompanied by Justo "Tito" Hernandez, federal coordinating officer for FEMA and the agency's second in command in Puerto Rico; the Puerto Rico Department of Housing; the secretary of the Department of Public Safety, Hector Pesquera and the regional director for the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration office in Orlando, Ilia Torres.
The informational meeting was mainly aimed at those who wish to return to the island once the federal program that has provided them with hotel vouchers to live temporarily in hotels is completed. Those who which to stay in Florida, which according to the government is about 86 percent, will have to find housing options on their own, or rely on the help that the local PRFAA office can provide as well as other nonprofit institutions and churches that have been assisting families with their needs in the last couple of months.
"That is why we are notifying this a month in advance, not at the last minute as before," Rossello said.
Those who wish to return to the island will receive funding from the government to return to the island. "We will pay for the plane tickets and they will have priority applying for housing options like Section 8 and other housing on the island," the governor said.
Also present was Democratic Rep. Darren Soto of Kissimmee and the mayor of Kissimmee, Jose Alvarez, who promised the attendees that they will continue working hard to improve the affordable housing situation in Florida and assist them in any way possible.
"Since this hurricane (Maria) we have worked hard to provide housing, education and food in this difficult time," Soto said.
According to the government, they contacted and invited all the families under the shelter program, including cities like Miami and Tampa, but not all of them were in attendance. "We will be holding other meetings like this throughout the month," Rossello explained.
The governor indicated that representatives of different agencies of Puerto Rico's government will return to Florida this month to continue the orientation effort for the families that participate in the TSA program in this state.
This program offers vouchers to contribute to the rental of a home. The participating families pay a contribution according to their income and the Department of Housing pays the difference. In some cases, the Department of Housing contributes the total of the rent.
For additional information, it was recommended for people to contact the Public Housing Administration at 787-759-9407, extension 3555; or contact the PRFFA offices in Florida at 407-776-9000.
