Para crear la “Ley para el aprovechamiento de fondos de recuperación destinados a la compra de viviendas y la repoblación de municipios”, a los fines de garantizar la adquisición de vivienda libre de discriminación para todas la personas participantes de los programas de recuperación tras desastres subsidiados con fondos federales, incluyendo la Subvención en bloque para desarrollo comunitario por desastre (CDBG); estabilizar la población de los municipios durante los procesos de reconstrucción tras desastre; establecer las prácticas discriminatorias en el acceso a una vivienda que se persiguen erradicar; los mecanismos procesales para alcanzar los propósitos de la medida; y para otros fines relacionados.

2025-2028 Session

Puerto Rico bill establishes anti-discrimination protections and enforcement mechanisms for federally-funded disaster recovery housing programs to ensure equal access and stabilize post-disaster communities.

Comisión no recomienda aprobación de la medida

Legislative bill overview

Bill PC 402 creates a law establishing mechanisms to ensure non-discriminatory access to housing for disaster recovery program participants in Puerto Rico, particularly those using federal funds like Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). The bill aims to stabilize municipal populations during post-disaster reconstruction while defining discriminatory practices to be eliminated and establishing procedural mechanisms to enforce these protections.

Why is this important

Disaster recovery housing programs historically have documented cases of discrimination in property access based on race, national origin, disability, and other protected characteristics. This bill addresses a documented gap in Puerto Rico's disaster recovery framework by creating explicit anti-discrimination standards and enforcement procedures for federally-funded housing programs, which could affect thousands of residents rebuilding after hurricanes and natural disasters.

Potential points of contention

Implementation costs and responsibility: Unclear which government entities bear costs for enforcement mechanisms, compliance monitoring, and potential legal remedies for discrimination cases

Definition scope: "Discriminatory practices" requires detailed definition; overly broad definitions could burden housing providers, while narrow ones may fail to address subtle discrimination patterns

Tension with private property rights: Regulations on private developers and property owners participating in federally-funded programs may face resistance from real estate interests regarding operational constraints