Not alone: Legal support to stop foreclosures

After five years of continuous disasters, we know that the only assistance that works is the one that gets to the people who need it. Nearly six months ago, the government of Puerto Rico was allocated 75 million dollars to assist homeowners. This program could help support due mortgage payments, utilities, and other charges. With the explicit goal to prevent homelessness, this assistance was supposed to be delivered to families economically impacted by COVID-19. On an island besieged by austerity and unemployment, you would think that the government launched a broad media campaign targeting historically vulnerable populations. After all, the crisis does not affect all people equally.  

Between 2017 and 2021, we know that 15,858 homes were foreclosed in Puerto Rico. The crisis that banks and the government have often denied is now being named and condemned. Yet, today, the data regarding this assistance program is a matter of concern. The program closed without warning on March 11. Considering that the translation to Spanish of the application was deficient, that the vast majority of people (more than 96%) applied via the internet, and that little to no applications belong to the areas most severely impacted by the mortgage crisis - which are disparately black- we are challenging equitable access to this aid. Less than 5% of the funds were disbursed until the end of February. This is unacceptable. 

While we continue accompanying families in courts and in the process of negotiating with financial institutions, Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico is addressing how these policies of inequity promote and nurture discrimination. We are using legal tools like complaints and litigation to continue expanding our possibility of transforming a system that risks people's chances of having dignified housing. Your support at this stage, which has become critical, is even more urgent today.