Interviewee: ENLACE, Lyvia Rodriguez

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Description: The ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña Project is the corporate umbrella of organizations that work together to complete dredging works along the 3.7 miles of expanse of the

Martín Peña Channel, as well as the redevelopment of the eight communities bordering it, thus contributing to the transformation of the city as well. The ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña Project Corporation is an independent government entity whose mission is to coordinate and implement public policy related to dredging and channeling this body of water. This would also ensure the continuity, urban development, and socioeconomic growth of its eight neighboring communities. This project involves the active and effective participation of their residents, their community-based organizations, and the partnerships between communities, the public sector, and the private sector.

ENLACE is driven by the ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña Project Corporation, the G-8, Inc., and the Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust. It is also supported by a large group of strategic partners including universities, foundations, companies, and government institutions. The corporation works towards achieving its vision of a united, safe, and prosperous community through a self-managed cohabitation model in the heart of San Juan.

INTERVIEW

Before the event, we prepared fact sheets about its hazards to warn the community that this was something real and very dangerous. Since the Martín Peña Channel has always been a flood-prone area during heavy rainfalls, we prompted some of the residents to move to a shelter. Our fact sheet, which we delivered from house to house in the Channel’s communities, provided all residents with suggestions on what to do before and after the hurricane. During this period, community leaders were very actively involved.

After the hurricane, we first walked through the streets to inventory structural damages and document the reach of the flood waters. The database and tools we previously had, such as documentation systems, were essential for this. We already had maps that showed us the streets and structures as they were before the event, which helped us document the state of the streets and buildings damaged by the floods. This helped us determine that the most pressing need at that moment was the tarps to cover home roofs; more than a 1,000 families had lost the roof of their homes. Once we identified this need, we started looking for a space with Internet service so we could contact our partners in the diaspora. As a result, our offices became collection centers; two weeks later, we had collected about 400 tarps.

We had a team in charge of coordinating and contacting our partners and collaborators. This team also made sure that the supplies made it safely from wherever they were (e.g., the airport) to our facilities. The distribution team, composed by community leaders, was in charge of delivering supplies to community residents. On the other hand, one of our biggest accomplishments was obtaining permission from the federal government to fill out FEMA assessment forms with the information we had already gathered about damages in the community. The agency provided the forms, and we went from house to house helping residents fill out the forms. This was crucial to speed up the process, since many people were unable to leave their homes and visit our centers, for whichever reason.

For the community to plan for and face similar situations, it is critical that the following exist:

• A subject or issue that is essential and relevant to every member of this organization.
• Acknowledgment of the community’s weaknesses and strengths, as well as the extent of its vulnerability.
• Knowledge of the public policies implemented by the current central government and participation in the island’s important processes to reduce its vulnerability.
• The establishment of a decision-making structure for situations involving key decision-making processes.
• Implementing communication methods for community involvement.
• A self-assessment process for community growth and to identify what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve as a group.

We worked on different things after the hurricane, and we are still working on others. For example, as we were documenting the damages, we noticed that rats and mosquitoes were going to be a major public health problem. Consequently, donations allowed us to install rat traps and distribute two types of kits (one to repel mosquitoes and the other to treat mold). Aside from that, we also carried out awareness campaigns because, just three days after the hurricane, we had a few building owners starting to evict their tenants. This prompted us to counsel tenants as to their rights. Additionally, we developed a communication structure for each street in every community, leaving someone in charge to report any issues that came up there. In terms of rebuilding efforts, we provided popular self-build workshops for residents, where they were taught how to make the necessary alterations to their homes. This helped them fix their own homes safely, since these structures were built by the residents themselves. Therefore, this was a way for us to make sure to reduce home vulnerability. By distributing educational materials and providing step-by-step guidance in layman’s terms, residents acquired the knowledge needed to do it themselves.