As the rising number of Hurricane Maria refugees from Puerto Rico continues to pour into central Florida, state Senator Victor Torres (D-Orlando) echoed calls for FEMA to immediately dispatch emergency housing to temporarily shelter these families as they search for ways to rebuild their lives.
“The impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria are placing huge demands on our public services,” said Senator Torres, who gave impassioned testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday when he called on state Senate members to increase funds for state education, healthcare and housing needs. “We need to focus on building and expanding more housing options for Floridians and evacuees from the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico who are seeking refuge in our great state.”
Earlier this week, Central Florida Heart of Florida United Way Executive Director Jeff Hayward called on the Federal government, through FEMA, to engage in providing support for additional housing options in central Florida. Prior to Hurricane Irma and Maria, central Florida was already dealing with a shortage of available workforce housing. Based on the market value of rental properties in central Florida, workers would need to make $20.00 per hour in order to afford rent in the area.
Senator Torres’ district includes both Orange and Osceola counties which contain the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans living in Florida. FEMA has designated Florida as a Host-State for evacuees from the islands and approved costs could be eligible for 100 percent reimbursement by the federal government. Senator Torres is working with local and state officials for FEMA approval of both the deployment of mobile housing units and authorization of TSA (Temporary Sheltering Assistance) for evacuees to receive rental housing funds.
For more information please contact Al Yorston at (407) 846-5187
Hurricane Maria
Nelson calls on feds to help students affected by storms
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) is leading a group of senators in calling on the U.S. Dept. of Education to use its discretion to help students displaced or otherwise unable to continue their education in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“Nearly 250,000 college students have been displaced by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the middle of their academic year,” the senators wrote today in a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “We respectfully request you work closely with students and institutions in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to ensure students have the ability to continue their education without having to worry about the stress of how they will have to pay for it.”
According to the U.S. Department of Education, approximately two-thirds of the 246 schools in Puerto Rico and the USVI remain closed as the islands struggle to restore power after the storms.
“Nearly 10 percent of Puerto Rico’s population have federal student loans,” the lawmakers wrote. “Many of these students continue to be without power, telephone, or internet service needed to make payments on their loans or to request assistance from their student loan servicers. … we urge you to exercise your discretion to enroll borrowers impacted by Hurricane Maria in interest-free administrative forbearance for a minimum period of six months, or until Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are no longer considered to be in a disaster zone.”
In addition to Nelson, the letter was signed by Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Following is the text of the lawmakers’ letter, a PDF copy is available here.
October 20, 2017
The Honorable Betsy DeVos
Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8510
Dear Secretary DeVos,
We write with great concern for students and borrowers who have been affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have suffered catastrophic damages due to these storms, knocking out Puerto Rico’s electric grid and leaving 3.4 million Americans with no power in the days following the storm. There are a number of concerns we must address as the island continues to recover and rebuild, including the fact that colleges and universities had to close their doors until they are able to restore functioning capacity. According to the most recent data we have received from the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”), approximately two thirds of the 246 campuses in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are closed or have an operational status of unconfirmed. Thousands of students and families in Puerto Rico do not have access to the educational opportunities as a result of schools shutting down and many of these students have invested personal resources to build their future.
Nearly 250,000 college students have been displaced by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the middle of their academic year and many of these students rely on federal grants and loans to pay for school. During a time of chaos and distress for colleges, universities, and the students they serve in the affected areas, we are concerned that both institutions and students will have a difficult time navigating through the complex student aid processes, such as rules governing the return of Title IV funding and subsidized loan eligibility. We urge the Department to offer critical assistance to students, as well as the colleges and universities, by expanding direct outreach to inform individuals of their options, particularly options for students and borrowers unable to complete their school year as a result of the hurricanes.
In addition, we urge you to use the statutory discretion available for you to expand the waiver of requirements for students to repay their balance of Pell Grant awards, particularly for those students who have had to temporarily discontinue their education due to the disaster affecting their institution or local community. This will bring further relief to students during this time of distress.
Nearly 10 percent of the Puerto Rico’s population have federal student loans. Many of these students continue to be without power, telephone, or internet service needed to make payments on their loans or to request assistance from their student loan servicers. Unfortunately, the Department has not yet published any robust instructions for these borrowers beyond instructing them to contact their servicers, which many cannot do. Your Department has unfettered authority during a national emergency to automatically enroll borrowers into administrative forbearance and to do so without charging borrowers interest that will capitalize on their loans. We urge you to exercise your discretion to enroll borrowers impacted by Hurricane Maria in interest-free administrative forbearance for a minimum period of six months, or until Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are no longer considered to be in a disaster zone.
We also urge you to direct federal student loan servicers to extend or suspend deadlines for providing student loan documentation, such as annual documentation of income for the income-driven repayment plans, for impacted borrowers for as long as the law allows and until Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are no longer considered to be in a disaster zone.
As the affected areas continue to rebuild after Hurricane Irma and Maria, we respectfully request you work closely with students and institutions in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to ensure students have the ability to continue their education without having to worry about the stress of how they will have to pay for it. We thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Gov. Scott Directs DBPR to Eliminate Licensing Fees for Puerto Ricans Displaced by Hurricane Maria
Governor Rick Scott today directed Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Jonathan Zachem to issue an Emergency Order suspending all fees required for occupational license applications for residents of Puerto Rico who were impacted by Hurricane Maria and are now in Florida. This includes over 50 different individual professional license types, such as barbers and realtors. By suspending fees, residents from Puerto Rico will be able to obtain a license from the state more quickly and continue their careers in Florida.
Governor Scott said, “As families from Puerto Rico relocate to Florida following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, it is crucial that we continue to do all we can to make it easier for these individuals to rebuild their lives and provide for their families. Today, I have directed the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to take immediate action to suspend licensing fees that would hinder or delay recovery efforts so these families can get back on their feet and continue successful careers in our state.”
DBPR Secretary Jonathan Zachem said, “Following Hurricane Maria, the Department is working to provide necessary resources to help families and individuals recover and get to work more quickly. We appreciate the leadership of Governor Scott in helping these families, and hope that by eliminating burdensome fees, residents from Puerto Rico will be able to continue their livelihood here in Florida.”
To view the Emergency Order, click HERE.
Gov. Scott Directs Florida Department of Education to Take Additional Action to Help Puerto Rican Students and Educators
Governor Rick Scott today directed the Florida Department of Education (DOE) to waive rules and regulations to ensure Puerto Rican students impacted by Hurricane Maria are able to continue their education in Florida. The Governor has also directed DOE to waive the educator certificate application fee and other requirements to help Puerto Rican educators displaced by the storm more easily continue their teaching careers in Florida.
Governor Scott said, “As Puerto Rican families work to rebuild their lives following the unbelievable devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, we are doing everything we can to help them throughout this process. I have directed the Department of Education to take additional action today to ensure students from Puerto Rico can more easily continue their education here in Florida and that teachers from Puerto Rico have every opportunity to continue to succeed in their careers. We will continue to work together to make sure Puerto Rican families have all the support they need.”
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said, “As a result of the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria, families from Puerto Rico and elsewhere have relocated to Florida. Entire communities were destroyed and we do not know how long it will take to restore schools and other essential infrastructure. Therefore, it is critical that these students and teachers have the opportunity to participate in our state’s outstanding public education system. We are pleased to remove barriers to enrollment and help these students and teachers return to the classroom.”
K-12 Public Schools
Due to the devastation left in the wake of this record-setting storm, some displaced families may not have immediate access to the records that are typically required to enroll in school. Therefore, at the direction of Governor Scott, DOE has temporarily waived statues and rules that will allow Florida public school districts to enroll Puerto Rican students whose education records are unavailable due to the storm. Upon receiving a request from a school superintendent, DOE will waive the application fee for an initial educator certificate and will allow the acceptance of an unofficial transcript of teaching degrees or copies of a valid teaching certificate issued by another state or U.S. territory.
The supplemental order relating to K-12 public schools is posted HERE.
Florida College System
At the direction of Governor Scott, Commissioner Stewart also signed a supplemental order authorizing state colleges to waive existing rules and requirements to help Puerto Rican students more quickly enroll in college. At the request of Governor Scott, all 28 Florida College System institutions have agreed to offer in-state tuition to Puerto Rican students who were impacted by Hurricane Maria.
The supplemental order relating to Florida College System institutions is posted HERE.
Nelson files bill to give Maria evacuees quicker access to federal benefits
Bill would waive requirement that prevents evacuees from
immediately accessing Supplemental Security Income benefits
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) filed legislation today to give evacuees from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands immediate access to a federal income supplemental program designed to help U.S. residents pay for basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter in the wake of a disaster.
The legislation would give the Social Security Administration emergency authority to waive a rule requiring U.S. residents be “present” in the mainland U.S. for 30 consecutive days before they are eligible for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This 30-day rule means evacuees arriving in the mainland from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not eligible for assistance under this program for at least 30 days.
“U.S. residents living in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are just that: U.S. residents,” Nelson said. “They deserve the same help and assistance as any other U.S. resident would get in the wake of a disaster and this bill will help provide them the assistance they need to pay for basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter.”
By law, SSI is not available to U.S. residents in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. To qualify, U.S. residents must be “present” in one of the 50 states, District of Columbia or Northern Mariana Islands for 30 consecutive days.
If approved, Nelson’s bill would give the Social Security Administration emergency authority to waive the 30-day requirement for otherwise eligible persons who evacuate from the U.S. territories due to emergencies or natural disasters.
The legislation now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.
A copy of the bill is available here.
Gov. Scott: Florida Enters New Host-State Agreement to Help Displaced Puerto Ricans
Governor Rick Scott today announced that the Trump Administration has approved his request to enter into Host-State agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This agreement approves 100 percent federal reimbursement for costs incurred by the State of Florida related to the accommodation of those displaced by Hurricane Maria. In Florida, this includes sheltering operations and other support for those who are currently in Florida and for those who are still arriving from Puerto Rico. Click HERE to see the agreement.
Governor Scott said, “The number one concern that I’ve heard from families displaced by Hurricane Maria is that they need a safe place to stay so they can begin rebuilding their lives. This agreement with the federal government that I asked for will allow Florida to continue helping displaced families while they are in Florida. Since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico last week, we have been engaged in relief and response and we will continue to make sure that Florida is providing as much support and hospitality as possible.”
This week, the Governor announced the opening of three disaster relief centers in Port of Miami, Orlando International Airport and Miami International Director Airport. For a complete list of assistance that Florida has provided to Puerto Rico, click HERE.
ICYMI: WFTV: Gov. Scott to Deploy All Available Resources and Personnel to Puerto Rico
“Gov. Scott to Deploy All Available Resources and Personnel to Puerto Rico”
WFTV-ORD (ABC) – Orlando, FL
October 1, 2017
To view the clip, click HERE.
Gov. Scott Declares State of Emergency for Hurricane Maria to Support Puerto Rico
Governor Rick Scott today signed Executive Order 17-259 declaring a State of Emergency in all 67 Florida counties in response to Hurricane Maria’s catastrophic impact on Puerto Rico. This declaration will provide important resources and assistance needed to best accommodate the needs of families impacted by Hurricane Maria when they come to Florida. Families displaced by Hurricane Maria are already present and arriving in Florida and the state must do everything possible to effectively support the Puerto Rico response effort. Florida will continue to coordinate with FEMA to provide Maria survivors who have traveled to the state with important services such as housing assistance, crisis counseling, unemployment assistance and legal advice.
Governor Scott said, “Today, to ensure Florida has every available resource ready to assist families displaced by Hurricane Maria, I signed Executive Order 17-259, declaring a State of Emergency in all 67 Florida counties. Puerto Rico was totally devastated by Hurricane Maria and so many families lost everything. With families displaced by Hurricane Maria already present and still arriving in Florida, it is critical that our state is prepared to provide the resources they need upon entering our state.
“Our state is an incredible melting pot, and the success and growth we’ve seen over the years is credited to the wonderful people that live in Florida. As Puerto Rico rebuilds, Florida remains committed to doing everything we can to help the families impacted by Hurricane Maria and aid in the recovery process.”
To view Executive Order 17-259, click HERE.
Governor Scott Visits Puerto Rico to Help Coordinate Hurricane Maria Response and Recovery Efforts
At the request of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló, Governor Rick Scott today visited San Juan, Puerto Rico to help coordinate response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria.
Governor Scott and the State of Florida have been in constant contact with Governor Ricardo Rosselló and the Puerto Rican government to offer support as they respond and recover from Hurricane Maria. This week, Governor Scott directed the Florida National Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to stand ready to assist Puerto Rico as soon as the government identifies their specific needs.
DSC offers assistance to students from Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Maria
Daytona State College is offering students from Puerto Rico whose families are recovering from Hurricane Maria in-state tuition for the academic year. This initiative is in response to Gov. Rick Scott’s call for Florida’s colleges and universities to provide tuition assistance to the students.
“Many Volusia and Flagler County residents know well the devastation wrought by hurricanes,” said DSC President Tom LoBasso. “While we, too, are still recovering from the effects of hurricanes Matthew and Irma, we are fortunate that our area did not receive the kind of direct hit from these storms that Puerto Rico did with Maria and the absolute destruction it left in its wake. We hope that adjusting the tuition for students from Puerto Rico will help mitigate their losses and inconvenience, and allow them to pursue or continue their programs of study.”
As an institution that serves primarily local and in-state students, DSC records show only a handful who list their permanent residence in Puerto Rico, said Dick Pastor, vice president of enrollment services.
The college also is assisting Florida students affected by Hurricane Irma. Over two dozen in-state students sustained damage or were displaced from their homes due to the storm, according to Vice President of Student Development Keith Kennedy. “We’ve been reaching out to these students as well,” he said. “Faculty are offering them grace periods for turning in assignments and referring the students to us. Additionally, our Center for Women and Men is providing books, uniforms, vouchers for laundry services, everything that can be done for each student based on his or her individual needs or circumstances.”
For assistance with the in-state tuition offer, DSC students and future students whose permanent residence is in Puerto Rico should contact Isabel Candelas at (386) 506-3062 or [email protected].
Local students impacted by Irma can contact Kennedy at (386) 506-3562 or [email protected].
