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U.S. NEWS Monday 9 SepteMber 2019

Housing aid for Puerto Rican evacuees close to running out

By CHRIS EHRMANN amid a political and eco- ity on the island, coupled
Associated Press nomic crisis in Puerto Rico. with the resignation of
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — In “I think Connecticut may Governor Ricky Rossello in
the months after Hurricane be one of the only states early August. She thanked
Maria destroyed her home though that kind of picked Velez-Herrera for helping
in Puerto Rico, Ashley Gon- up the ball where FEMA left because the aid got them
zales moved to Connecti- off,” Cho said. “(It was) re- into a one-bedroom apart-
cut, where federal and ally unique to mobilize a ment in Hartford, making it
state aid helped her and number of partners, bring easier for them to find jobs.
her longtime partner avoid together government and “We would be hungry right
homelessness. the private sector and the now, we see people that
But aid at both levels has nonprofit sector to develop are homeless,” Viera said
just about dried up, leaving a state-specific response.” in Spanish, “without this
Gonzales and many like Some have questioned the money ... we would be in
her wondering what they need for the aid money. the same circumstances,
are going to do next. State Sen. Rob Thompson, we would be walking in
Connecticut, which saw a Republican who voted their shoes. We can say we In this Aug. 2, 2019 photo, Ashlyn Gonzales, right, and her
over 13,000 people arrive against legislation allocat- can get up early and go to longtime partner Emanuel Rivera pose outside their condo in
from the U.S. Caribbean ing money to the organiza- work.”q Portland, Conn.
territory after the hurricane tions, said he had concerns Associated Press
hit in September 2017, was about how to ensure the
unique in providing almost money was spent appro-
a million dollars in aid to priately.
help families after the Fed- The state aid had helped
eral Emergency Manage- with more than rent — it
ment Agency’s support ran was a means of paying car
out last year. repairs, and other expenses
The supplementary state that pile on top of the cost
aid fund, overseen by the of housing. Gonzales and
Connecticut Coalition to her partner worry about
End Homelessness, drew their situation in the future
upon $600,000 in state because both are disabled
money allocated by the and don’t speak English.
state legislature and more Lydia Velez-Herrera, who
than $338,000 provided by has been working as an
private donors. Nearly all of intermediary between the
it has been spent, adminis- coalition and the Puerto
trators said. Rican families receiving
“The funding given was vi- funding, said “a lot of peo-
tal for me and allowed me ple are just trying to survive
not to become homeless,” and avoid that eviction.”
Gonzales said in Spanish, Gonzales volunteers with
adding neither she nor her Velez-Herrera’s organiza-
partner want to go back to tion.
Puerto Rico. “Some people are just
Over 1,200 people in Con- holding off eviction for two
necticut have been helped or three months,” Velez-
through the multi-organiza- Herrera said.
tional response to the hur- Brenda Viera moved to
ricane, said Richard Cho, Connecticut from Puer-
executive director of the to Rico with her partner
coalition. But he said more Johnny Maldonado be-
needs to be done as fami- cause of the environment
lies continue relocating and increasing instabil-