Puerto Rico sees a surge in the homeless population.

 

Puerto Rico Pro Homeless Coalition reported to the Associated Press the following:

 

Puerto Rico’s homeless population has risen sharply in the past two years amid an ongoing economic crisis that includes a nearly 14 percent unemployment rate, higher than any U.S. state. Officials say they expect the problem will only grow worse.

 

Contributing to the problem is the island’s home foreclosure rate, which rose again this fiscal year to more than 13,600 cases, according to the Courts Administration. There were more than 13,400 cases the previous fiscal year, compared to about 7,300 cases in fiscal year 2003.

 

Nearly 80 percent of previous cases involving homeless people were tied to drugs, but financial and family problems now play a bigger part. “We’re seeing more women on the street,”  Associated Press 2022 reporting