Puerto Ricans are moving to Central Florida in droves and they’ll need places to live. According to a recent story on Curbed.com, more than 239k Puerto Ricans have arrived in Florida since October (citing data from Florida’s State Emergency Response Team) making it the largest evacuation on this scale in Florida’s history. They are settling mostly in the Orlando area. In addition, the Census Bureau says that around 320k Puerto Ricans already live in central Florida. A post-Maria diaspora may bring an additional 114k to 213k annually over the next two years to a state already dealing with an affordable housing crisis.
It’s a “roller coaster of emotion,” says Marytza Sanz, who has spent weeks greeting, calming, and assisting her fellow citizens. Sanz is the president of Latino Leadership, a local group that’s part of the web of nonprofits and government agencies manning the welcome center, offering housing assistance, social services, and leads on employment. She has spent long days counseling families—sometimes dozens a day—some clutching photos of the houses and neighborhoods they left behind. She doesn’t see an end in sight.
Click here to read the full story on Curbed.com.
