tr?id=&ev=PageView&noscript=

Puerto Rico Could Lose $227M in Rental Assistance Funds 

By Mivette Vega

February 17, 2022

Since the aid has been available on the island, only 41,493 families have received it.

Puerto Rico is about to lose more than half of the $325 million it had available to help people who are having difficulty paying their rent and other basic utilities during the pandemic.

As of Jan. 31, 2022,  the Public Housing Administration and the Puerto Rico Housing Department, the agencies in charge of distributing these funds, had disbursed $98.3 million to 41,493 families. That is only 33% of the total funds allocated, and if the remaining amount is not used by this coming April, it will be lost, according to the nonprofit organization Puerto Rico Legal Aid (PRLA).

Beneficiaries of rental assistance can receive aid for up to 15 months. 

The $325 million also include $28.9 million for utility payments that go to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority.

PRLA asked the government to carry out a more extensive educational campaign, so that people in need can apply between March and April.

“For some reason, government agencies and the government itself, for some things, go door-to-door to make announcements, whether it is the candidacy of x or y person, but for this type of program, those efforts are not made,” said Ariadna Godreau, executive director of PRLA.

People interested in applying for help can visit the website ayudaparaturenta.com or call 787-759-1888.

https://theamericanonews.com/floricua/newsletter/

Author

CATEGORIES: COMMUNITY

Support Our Cause

Thank you for taking the time to read our work. Before you go, we hope you'll consider supporting our values-driven journalism, which has always strived to make clear what's really at stake for Floridians and our future.

Since day one, our goal here at Floricua has always been to empower people across the state with fact-based news and information. We believe that when people are armed with knowledge about what's happening in their local, state, and federal governments—including who is working on their behalf and who is actively trying to block efforts aimed at improving the daily lives of Florida families—they will be inspired to become civically engaged.

Crystal Harlan
Crystal Harlan, Senior Community Editor
Your support keeps us going
Help us continue delivering fact-based news to Floridians
Share This