By Seth Daniel
Following two major hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico this fall, many island residents have turned to family members on the mainland United States to rebuild their lives. Chelsea, with its substantial Puerto Rican community, has become a destination for many seeking refuge, bringing with them various challenges and questions.
Gladys Vega, Director of Chelsea Collaborative, has convened meetings with multiple stakeholders across the City to address emerging issues as arrivals continue to increase.
According to Vega, the focus has shifted from providing aid to the island toward directing resources within the City itself.
“There are no schools and no electricity and there are a lot of problems there, so many are coming here,” Vega remarked during a gathering at Chelsea High School that drew roughly a dozen stakeholders. “We are extremely certain that folks will continue to come because Chelsea has a Puerto Rican community that is very established. Already, some of them are coming to the Collaborative, the Housing Authority, CAPIC and the School Department…We are really at this moment turning our efforts. Before, we were all about collecting donations and sending them to Puerto Rico. Now we are realizing that we need to use some of those same resources and donations right here in Chelsea because people are starting to come here and they have tremendous needs.”
Housing concerns within public housing facilities have emerged as a significant issue at the state level.
Juan Vega, a Chelsea resident serving as Undersecretary of Housing for the state, explained that officials are developing responses to anticipated challenges.
One such challenge involves family members arriving at public housing complexes with no alternative accommodations.
According to Juan Vega, visitors cannot remain longer than a week, yet they often have nowhere else to turn. The state is currently working with the federal government to establish an emergency waiver program to address this gap.
Gladys Vega noted that one family has already faced this predicament when relatives showed up at an elderly housing apartment.
“Now they are here in an elderly housing apartment,” she explained. “They are told they can stay 10 days and then they have to leave. They’re here now. If they stay past the 10 days, the tenant could be kicked out. We don’t want our established members of the community to lose their housing or their jobs trying to deal with these situations.”
Some arrivals are elderly individuals requiring medical support, including modifications like handicap ramps. Rich Pedi of the Carpenter’s Union has offered union workers to construct such ramps on an emergency basis.
In the school system, Supt. Mary Bourque indicated they are employing flexible approaches to enroll newcomers. Many lack birth certificates or other documentation, having lost everything during the hurricane.
Bourque encouraged all families to visit the Parent Information Center (PIC) to register their children, regardless of whether they have documents.
“That’s the first message to get out there,” she noted. “If you’re coming to Chelsea and need to enroll students, come to the PIC. We will work with you. The second thing we’re worried about is the trauma once they are enrolled. They have been through a traumatic situation and they will need to see social workers.”
As November arrives, another pressing need will be winter clothing. Island residents are accustomed to a climate where heavy coats are unnecessary, but Chelsea winters require substantially more protection than what most arrivals currently possess.
“We’re coming into winter and they don’t have the supplies one needs for a New England winter,” Bourque added. “We need volunteers to donate coats, pants, shoes and warm clothes in all sizes.”
The Collaborative is establishing a welcome center and creating informational materials to assist newly arriving residents.