Puerto Rico’s civil code is based on Spanish law dating back to the late 1800s. Under the civil code, families living on a plot of land can be recognized as the rightful owner after inhabiting said land for a period of time, even if the land was owned by someone else. The civil code also does not require that property be submitted to Puerto Rico’s property registry after it has been acquired by a new owner, which can be a cost-prohibitive process. “It could cost $300 if the property is cheap, but it could be up to thousands of dollars to register your property,” says Torres Rivera. “When we deal with our participants, who are low-income families, they won’t be able to pay $300 or $500. They prefer to invest that money buying food and paying bills rather than submitting to a property registry when legally they know they don’t have to do it.”

Though Puerto Rico doesn’t require residents to have a clear title to property, proof of a clear title was required to qualify for disaster funds after hurricanes Irma and Maria by those offering aid. That’s why Habitat and Fundación Fondo de Acceso a la Justicia have been working together to help ensure families are able to receive the funds they need to rebuild and be more resilient to future disasters through title clearance, which is part of a larger, collective approach to addressing housing security issues in Puerto Rico. “People deserve the security of knowing that when funds come, especially these recovery funds, they will have access,” says Torres Rivera.

Habitat and the Fundación have helped 489 families navigate complex legal procedures and clear their titles through the program, as of July 2022.  Ultimately, 500 families will receive legal aid through the work of Habitat and the Fundación to help them obtain clear titles. Habitat also developed a one-page application for people in Puerto Rico to apply for home repair assistance that helped inspire the adoption of a more efficient and simplified application process on the island for those seeking assistance.

Securing a brighter future

In addition to this vital tenure work, Habitat partnered with the University of Puerto Rico School of Law Master Trust to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the existing land trust on the island to support the creation of new policies and systems that will improve shelter and land resilience issues in the long term. “Our hope was that this research would provide insight and learnings into the complex evolution of land tenure in Puerto Rico and lead to new legislation that improves security of tenure for homeowners in the future,” says Amanda Silva, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico. That hope was put into action when Habitat made policy-change recommendations to the local and federal governments that addressed tenure security in Puerto Rico based on local and international research.

Land is the foundation for safe and affordable shelter. By working to secure official title clearances and continuing to support policies that will further improve security of tenure, Habitat and AbbVie are committed to working alongside homeowners in Puerto Rico to build a solid foundation for a bright and resilient future.

Lyssa hated the choice she faced: change her career or move to a more affordable area. Her young family lived in a two-bedroom rental apartment that was owned by the Aspen School District and offered to teachers at subsidized rents for up to five years. Their lease was soon ending, and their family was already outgrowing the small space.

If they moved away, they’d not only have to restart their lives, but they’d be leaving two critical jobs vacant. Jeremy works as an information technology professional for the Pitkin County government. Lyssa says county workers, much like teachers, are experiencing a “mass exodus” due to housing unaffordability.

Partnering for affordability

Lyssa and Jeremy feared they would need to leave the valley until they heard about Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley’s new Basalt Vista neighborhood, a 27-home community devoted to bringing affordable homeownership opportunities to schoolteachers and county workers. Lyssa and Jeremy, who qualified for the program through Jeremy’s Pitkin County job, perfectly fit the bill. In September 2020, the couple moved into Basalt Vista and exhaled with relief that they would be staying in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Habitat had forged key local partnerships to create the multifamily development. The Roaring Fork School District donated an estimated $3 million of land, and Pitkin County gave $4 million to go toward building costs. The partnerships opened doors for Habitat, the school district and the county to design a neighborhood where county workers and in-district teachers could thrive in the same community where they work.

Helping essential workers stay and serve

An absence of affordable housing across the U.S. continues to threaten the livelihoods of essential workers like Lyssa and Jeremy and Katie. Through Basalt Vista, Habitat Roaring Fork Valley and partners have created a housing solution to help 27 families stay in the area and continue serving the community.

Katie often stands on her porch and reflects on becoming a homeowner. “My home is very important. It’s my sanctuary,” Katie says. “What does this house mean for me? It changed my life.”

Antero and his family worked to secure the home as best they could, despite having to spend the six months following the storm without electricity or water. Their kitchen cabinets had gotten wet and began attracting moths. Antero, a wood artisan by trade, tried tying down the metal sheeting on the roof with cables to keep the rain out. It didn’t work for long. “I was working, but financially I wasn’t very well. There were days without work, the pay was meager, and buying materials was very difficult,” he says.

The road to recovery

After the storm, communication was challenging, especially in rural areas, like Antero and Luz’s neighborhood in Adjuntas. Vans with loudspeakers drove through severely damaged areas sharing information about Habitat’s home repair program.

The couple believed Habitat could be the answer to their prayers and applied. Sixty-four-year-old Luz says she felt like, “the happiest woman in the world,” when she heard they’d been approved. When the repairs took place, it had been more than three years since the couple’s home was damaged by the storm.

Five years ago, AbbVie, a research-based global biopharmaceutical company that has operated on the island for nearly 50 years, donated $50 million to Habitat to help families and communities recover from the devastation of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and strengthen access to housing in Puerto Rico. With AbbVie’s support, Habitat has partnered directly with hurricane-affected families, like Antero and Luz, to address their shelter needs. Besides home repair work, Habitat’s holistic program also supports workforce development, securing land tenure and fostering long-term improvement to shelter and land resilience issues.

During their repairs, Antero and Luz’s home received a new roof and kitchen cabinetry, waterproofing of the concrete roof, replacement of an aluminum door and interior wood doors, general electric work, and repair of their balcony and stairs as well as interior and exterior paint. Antero also used his skills as an artisan to help personalize some of the repairs, including purchasing and installing trim for the windows, and he installed a new gas stove.

A safe place to be

“We live more confidently now,” says Antero. “We no longer have leaks. When I saw how the house was and seeing it now, it’s like a load that has been taken off. We even enjoy downpours now because we know we’ll stay warm and dry.”

The couple loves being able to have family over again and looks forward to spending many more joyous occasions with their children and two grandchildren. “Home is happiness,” Antero says.