P.R. Laws tit. 17, § 1451
The Department of Housing is the body responsible for formulating and executing public policy and contributing to the social development of Puerto Rican communities, through the development of housing programs and structural improvement of communities. As part of said responsibility, the Department has among its functions, the planning of the Government’s efforts addressed to housing development and community services that are complementary to housing, as well as to anticipate and attend to related problems, and carry out activities and programs to improve living standards in communities.
Likewise, both the Government of Puerto Rico and the federal government public policies establish that housing programs have to address the empowerment of neighborhood entities and organizations. In this context, addressing the housing issue is not simply about physical structures, but also involves the social organization.
On the other hand, § 521 of Title 28, granted authority to the Secretary of Housing to reorganize the Department, specifying that his/her main role would be that of facilitator for the construction of homes, the revitalization of communities, as well as the promotion of their social function, especially in low-income communities, and fostering mutual aid programs in coordination with the other agencies that have functions for the social development of communities.
Through this chapter, the above-stated public policy is reaffirmed, and the Community Revitalization Administration, created below as a body attached to the Department of Housing, assumes the responsibility to execute the Department’s public policy in the area of complementary community services for affordable housing, and the improvement of the quality of life of the communities. Likewise, it shall coordinate with other social and community development government bodies to offer those services that are needed by low income public housing and residential communities served by the Department and its components.
As part of said mission, the Administration shall be empowered to combine the effort of persons and private and public entities addressed to the improvement of those communities served by the Department and its components; to educate, promote and facilitate the creation of new community, civic, charitable, sports, recreational, educational and cultural entities, in coordination with other public and private profit or nonprofit bodies; to coordinate and support the existing ones for constructive joint activities, safety and the improvement of the quality of life.
It is the intention of this chapter for all bodies attached to the Department of Housing with a social development content to be under the Administration created herein. This also includes those created by Executive Order. This is the case of the Office for the Coordination of Aid and Services to Public Housing Residents (OCASCIR, Spanish acronym).
History —Sept. 30, 1995, No. 211, § 2.