PDF version of the press release
San Juan, Wednesday, December 23, 2020 | The Caño Martín Peña Land Trust received support from Citi Community Relationsthrough the Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico (FCPR) to advance housing development and improve the quality of life for residents of Caño Martín Peña. It is projected that by renovating structures and developing vacant lots, the Caño Martín Peña Land Trust will accelerate the revitalization of the community and further strengthen its sources of income through property rentals.
“With this support, the Trust will strengthen its operations, allowing them to focus on providing access to various resources and services, as well as on strengthening their infrastructure such as affordable housing, among other community capital areas,” he/she said. Nelson I. Colón Tarrats, president of FCPR.
This philanthropic investment will enable the trust to fulfill its mission of strengthening land tenure security for low-income families living in informal communities in San Juan who lack title to the land on which their homes are located. The trust will focus its efforts on several goals: supporting the repair and maintenance of structures and vacant lots, and implementing a real estate strategy that enables revenue generation and ensures the organization’s economic stability, among others. “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the Trust’s work, especially as we face unexpected challenges such as unstable internet connectivity and the reality of a technological-generational divide. We have been overcoming these challenges, but this grant reinforces our plan and encourages us to keep moving forward. We appreciate the trust that Citi Community Relations and Fundación Comunitaria have placed in our social justice project,” he said. Mario Núñez Mercado, executive director of the Caño Martín Peña Land Trust.
The Caño Martín Peña Land Trust is a private, nonprofit entity with independent legal personality and perpetual existence. It strengthens the relationship with the land for approximately 2,000 families from the communities adjacent to the body of water through the collective ownership of 200 cuerdas and the granting of surface rights deeds. Its mission is to own, safeguard, and administer lands and other assets for the benefit of the communities within the Caño Martín Peña Special Planning District, in order to promote their integral and sustainable development and overcome the poverty of its residents. It also seeks to foster a healthy relationship between the natural environment, the city, and the communities.
“Over the past three years, Puerto Rico has faced economic challenges caused by natural disasters, ranging from devastating hurricanes to earthquakes and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income communities are often the most vulnerable during disasters, and this pandemic is no different,”, said Lily López, senior vice president of Citi Community Relations. “We are pleased to collaborate once again with Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico to support and advance the Trust’s efforts to help the residents of Caño Martin Peña on their path toward housing equity and security,” López added.
About the Puerto Rico Community Foundation | Fundación Comunitaria is a philanthropic organization with a 35-year history of collaboration with donors and communities. It is the first of its kind in the Caribbean and Latin America and the only one of its kind in Puerto Rico. It is recognized as a 1101.1 organization under the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code and as a 501(c)(3) organization under the Federal Internal Revenue Code; therefore, depending on your tax status, you may be able to claim a deduction for your contribution.
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