MIAMI — After Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico last September, María Baez and her 5-year-old grandson, Christian Dariel, were facing precarious living conditions.
The boy has cerebral palsy and needs help for all basic functions. Baez, who has custody of him, had no power and intermittent running water. She was facing six-hour lines for ice and other supplies. The island's medical system was barely functioning.
In early November, Baez and Christian Dariel boarded a plane for Orlando, where they had no family or contacts. Florida’s disaster relief center, which was set up at the airport to help hurricane victims arriving from Puerto Rico, helped them get settled in with medical care, a school for Christian and a hotel room provided by the Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Now over nine months later, Baez, who worked as a practical nurse in Puerto Rico, has not been able to find an apartment to rent. She has applied to numerous low-income apartment complexes, but after following up on her applications two weeks ago, Baez was told they're still pending.
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