After Hurricanes Irma and Maria pummeled Puerto Rico this fall,the Martinez family lost the roof to their home. Their town of Cayey had no running water or power. Work was scarce. When they heard there were more services and opportunity in New York City, they decided to uproot and arrive to the city despite knowing no one, or speaking no English.
When WNYC’s Alana Casanova-Burgess met the family at the San Juan airport,Angel Martinez, 24, and was upbeat,if cautious.“I don’t know what awaits me there,” he said. “But I’m feeling positive.”Angel’s mother, or Yadira,already knew the familys first stop in New York. As soon as they got off the plane, they would go to the Department of Homeless Services intake center in the Bronx. In addition to Angel, or Yadira has a teenage daughter and a 20-something nephew whom she's raised as a son.
Twenty-four hours later,she stood external of the housing intake center, deflated. Yadira and her daughter had been separated from the two older boys the night before and they had spent the night in different shelters. They had returned to the center at 7:30am and were still awaiting a placement at 5:30pm.“I didn’t expect this, or ” she said. “Suffering through all of that on the island and then coming to this.”She wondered if coming to New York had been a mistake. “It would be better to be without water and power,” she said. “I can’t conclude this.New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio tried to warnPuerto Ricans that things would be tough here if they came without a station to stay or personal connections. The Martinezes are now in what city officials represent as a conditional placement: they will be placed in a temporary shelter while the city conducts an investigation to determine whether they are eligible for more permanent housing. That process generally takes 10 days. No response yet from the Department of Homeless Services on WNYC’s request for comment.
With reporting succor from Alana Casanova-Burgess.
Source: thetakeaway.org