As part of Centro’s Puerto Rico Initiative, the Symposium on Housing and Community Economic Development in Puerto Rico was held on February 5, 2020. Bringing together more than half a hundred experts, civil society representatives, and directors of organizations based in Puerto Rico and the United States, the symposium touched on topics of housing, resilience, mitigation and community economic development.
Puerto Rico's reconstruction in terms of development, strategies, advances in the housing sector, cooperation, and programs were a recurring point of the panels held at the symposium. Different leaders and specialists facilitated various presentations, creating points of conversation towards training that allows social organizations to apply to funds and resources, developing and strengthening their potential. In the face of past natural disasters - Hurricane Maria, from which Puerto Rico is still recovering, and recently the tremors that have occurred in the south of the island - require long-term sustainable strategies that allow organizations and communities to respond to adversities and challenges they face.
In the coming weeks, a report will be written with more information and resources on the topics and presentations that emerged. The event was in collaboration with IDEAComún (Institute for Business Development and Community Action) and the co-sponsorship of the Bucarabon Foundation, LendDreams, VisitRico, the Planning Society of Puerto Rico, FIDECOOP and Colmena 66.
The trailer for the next episode of Centro's Puerto Rican Voices television program is now available; a new entry in this season surrounding the topic of Rebuild Puerto Rico, this episode focuses in on organizations that have been active in the recovery process and working on the ground. Many of them took an active part in this symposium and are currently members of the IDEAComún Coalition, which seeks to coordinate collaborative efforts between social entrepreneurs, communities and their allies to promote and institutionalize social entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development in Puerto Rico. The symposium served as an opportunity to think about creating knowledge and analyzing mechanisms and effective practices for community economic development, rebuild and housing.
For more information or to request materials (in Spanish), you can write to info.ideacomun@gmail.com and follow the coalition's Facebook page at facebook.com/IDEAcomun.
