After being displaced by Hurricane María from Puerto Rico, Nancy González and her family came to the city in search of a better quality of life. They have been living in public shelters for almost three years and this Tuesday, just in time for Christmas, they moved to a permanent home.
Nancy and her two children arrived in New York in 2017, after experiencing the ravages of María in Puerto Rico. “There was no water, there was no electricity, the line to go to the supermarkets was horrible, everything was limited”, recalls Nancy about those days.
However, when they arrived in the Big Apple, things were not easy for them. The family moved from one shelter to another because they could not find permanent housing. Nancy says that living conditions were very bad. “My baby used to cry, since he wanted to leave here and then thank God I’m leaving there,” he says.
The Abyssinian House shelter was her home for almost two years, but conditions were not optimal due to no internet and Nancy’s children were unable to connect for their remote school classes. This is a problem that is also experienced in other public shelters, which is why the Legal Aid organization sued the city to provide the service in its shelters.
Sonia Velasquez, an activist with the YNCCA organization, is dedicated to helping families like Nancy’s find a home. So far, Velasquez has helped 243 families from Puerto Rico who arrived in New York after being displaced by Hurricane Maria.
“We were able to help them to find their apartment and also work. For me it was a bit emotional … seeing so many people in need,” explains Velásquez.
Nancy and her children are the last to find a home. They will live in a NYCHA apartment, located on 112th Street. “When we called NYCHA, the first thing they told me was come see your apartment and this was a thrill for me. My kids were too happy, ”says Nancy. The apartment will cost the family $ 450 a month.
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