Struggle for Puerto Rican evacuees seeking permanent housing continues

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Hurricane Maria may seem like a distant memory for some—but for Carmen Santiago’s family, the storm rages on.

“The crisis is not over. People are still in need,” said Santiago.

Carmen’s family lost their child care business on Puerto Rico. They’ve been staying in a Kissimmee hotel since October.

Like hundreds of others, they still have no permanent place to live.

“It’s nerve-wracking with FEMA, waiting until the last minute to hear if you have an extension or not,” said Santiago.

Around 300,000 people relocated to Florida from Puerto Rico, with most landing in Orange and Osceola counties.

Because the need for housing, medical assistance and other services is still so great, state Sen. Victor Torres wants to use a Puerto Rico Federal Affairs office on Lake Ellenor Drive to offer evacuees more direct assistance.

"We have families who come to job fairs every time there's a job fair and are still looking for work. We have a family with eight people in one room who have not had FEMA help since January,” said Ericka Gomez-Tejeda, a Vamos4PR organizer.

In a letter, Torres asks the island’s governor to negotiate with Gov. Rick Scott on shared services in our state.

Cox Media Group