Comunicados de Prensa

San Juan – Omar Figueroa, Undersecretary of the Department of Housing, was one of several agency heads, including Karla Mercado Rivera, Director of the General Services Administration (GSA) and Astrid Piñeiro, Women's Advocate, who participated in a recent meeting of the Puerto Rico Federation of Mayors at the Pedro Rosselló González Convention Center. The meeting focused on municipal preparations and the necessary coordination with central government agencies to address the upcoming hurricane season, which begins Sunday, June 1st, and runs through November 30th.

The Undersecretary reported on behalf of the Department's Secretary, Ciary Pérez Peña, that the agency responsible for opening, managing, and administering shelters has already completed its preparations, in accordance with the Emergency Plan of the Government of Puerto Rico and the Bureau for Emergency Management and Disaster Administration (NMEAD).

The official stated, "Following the directives of our Governor Jennifer Gonzalez Colon, her administration, and our Secretary of Housing, we have developed and modified the emergency plan to respond quickly and efficiently to our citizens. It is you, the mayors, who are requesting the opening of the shelters. We will now have staff in all 78 municipalities, three in Vieques, and another three in Culebra to handle any situation. We must remember that the first shelters are for Education and Public Buildings, facilities that are not housing, and we will address situations that may arise, such as power or water shortages, coordinating with Education and the AEP, installing generators and water tanks where needed."

Regarding Housing personnel responding to disasters and emergencies, work is divided between employees of the Department and its affiliated agency, the Public Housing Administration (AVP). This agency has already signed contracts with its 10 administrative agents for the 328 public housing developments so that personnel from these private companies can care for refugees who can be relocated to schools, AVP community centers, or private facilities.

“Governor González Colón and our secretary are so committed to this matter that recently, Public Housing Administrator Juan Rosario Hernández was invited by the governor to La Fortaleza, where the agreements were signed, with her as a witness. We are fine-tuning and putting the finishing touches on our plan, but basically, we are ready to face, alongside you, the mayors, any emergency or disaster that may arise. We also have cots and other equipment stored and ready to be delivered as soon as an emergency occurs,” said Undersecretary Figueroa.