.

·'· , '
HOUSING

1 IN

PUERTO RICO

MUTUAL AID
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SELF-HELP

PROGRA

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HOUSING IN PUERTO RICO

UNDER THE

MUTUAL AID

AND

SELF -HELP PROGR AM

BY

DR. P.B . VAZQUEZ CALCERRA DA

'·.
 Con. ten ts

PAGE

lntroduction

G ene ral Data of Puerto Rico

The Probl e m of Housing in Puerto Rico 2

The Social Programs Administration of the De partment

of Agriculture and Commerce 3

11
The Dramatic Experiment in The San José,.
Rural Community 6

Mutual Aid and Self-Help 10

Ex amples of Mutual Aid in Housing Construction

in Urban Are as 29

Accomplishments, Aims and Projections 32

HOUSING IN PUERTO RICO UNDER THE MUTUAl AID
ANO SELF-HELP PROGRAM
By: P. B. Vazquez C~lcerroda

GENERAL DATA ON PUERTO RICO

~er~ico , with a limited territorial extension of 3,400 square

miles (8704 square kilometers), limited rural resources, and a
high population density of 666 inhabitants per square mile (257 in-
-
habitants per square kilometer) is COl~'lpelled to use all its in:ren:
tive skill , to increase its efficiency in allproauction levels, and to
tFv'eWoffie its own limitations, in order to meet the ~h and ambi-
!iOU;? goals it.!._a~ s~t for itself.

Within this framework of limitations , ithas beenpossible to deve-

lop a careful program, scientüically planned, in which all neces-
sary and essential elements have been taken into consideration to
attain the social and economic improvement of the population.

A remarkable governmental organization composed of many offi-

cial bodies and corporations in which such agencies as the Plan-
ning Board, the Bureau of the Budget and the Personnel Office,
all attached to the Office of the Governor are outstanding, has
achieved definite improvement. The progress attained in the 1
fields of health, of public education at all levels, industrial deve-
lopment, working conditions , agricultura, electrical services,
water, roads and highways , and other means of communication,
in recreation and many others , are the best evidence of the sin-
cere interest of the government in solving, within its limited re-
sources, the numerous problems which beset its dynamic society. JI

1
Executive Dir ector of the Social Program Administration of
the Department of Agricultura and Commerce. The author
wishes to acknowledge and thank Messrs. Fabián Orta, Luis
A. Dávila, Rafael Bonnet, José G. Gracia, for their coopera-
tion in the preparation of information and data; Lorenzo
Mufioz Morales, for his excellent ideas on the content of this
publication; and José M. RÍos, Chief of the Department of
Economics and Rural Sociology of the Agricultura! Experi-
m ental Station, for bis valuable help in editing this work.
To Miss Carmen Luz Sandih, bis gratitude for her coopera-
tion in the typing work. The translation of this paper to
English has been possible, thanks to the cooperation o! Ur-
ban Renewal and Housing Corporation of Puerto Rico.
 2

It is generally accepted by everyone that in spite of the tremen-

dous effort made by the government, there is still a great job
ahead. What r emains to be done is even more difficult than what
h as b een accomplished.

Housing is without question one of the fields requiring a great

deal of attention, a .complex problem which needs special ap-
proach and solution. Tbe government is aware of this fact,
therefore, it is trying its best to• salve it.

THE PROBLEM OF HOUSING IN PUERTO RICO

The shelter - the house - is one of man 's basic needs. No mat-
ter at which time or place, or the material of whicb it is buil~,
roan must provide a sbelter to establisb bis borne. The family
and tbe home are bis bulwark, bis last refuge, his innermost
r world and bis security. His borne is bis most valued treasure,
no matter its nature; it could be a mansion or a jumbled shack
in ruins. Unfortunately, in Puerto Rico, as in all parts of the
world, with rare exceptions , bousing constitutes one of the so-
cial problems of greatest importance. In tbe country, as in tbe
cities, tbousands of families live in inadequate, crowded and
unsanitary houses, in open violation of tbe most elementary
L principies of good living.
It is estimated tbat there are in Puerto Rico, approximately
225,000" inadequar;- an'd'diiaPictated dwelling units, of w)!ic,!}
125,000 are located in the urban areas - cities and towns-
and 100,000 in tbe rural areas. Due to tbe undesirable ele-
ments in most arge famifies- -- crowded conditions, pbysical
tightness, lack of adequate sanitary and other services -- tbe
problem in tbe urban areas acquires more importance and cba-
racterizes it as most far-reaching.

r Only a few years ago, the philosopby was that the houses inhabi-
ted by low income families was a personal problem whose solu-
tion was their exclusive concern as their economic means per-
mitted. Fortunately, more progressive governments with a
socially minded program see the housing proble m as one per-
taining to the whole society and ar e conscious of its harmful
effects in other phases of community life, - moral, healt h,
economy, culture , etc. This new s ocial approacb to tbe problem

l
~
leads to the sea rch for m e ans and m ethods to analyze it, evaluate
its intensity , find solutions, and put an end to its undesirable and
anti-social effects in a good com munity life.
 3

In most ins tances the housing proble m has been attacked by

well known conventional means : by action of prívate enter-
prise, and efforts, m or e or l ess effective , of the government.

In Puerto Rico, in spite of the energetic action of prívate con-

tractors in the construction of modern residential housing with
ade quat e f acilities , the problem of housi ng low income families
is still unsolved. 2/ Obviously, the traditional methods of con-
struction and financing are not availabl e to low income families .

The government of Pue rto Rico h as al so invested considerable

sums to build public housing for low income families who live
in slums and other undesirable areas. So far, 21,466 public
hous ing units have been built (Federal and Commonwealth) . 3/

However, notwithstanding the efforts of both prívate enter prise

and the government, lit
will not be possible to salve the p roblem '1
of housing of the great mass of the population using traditional
methods , expensive and entirely outside the r each of poor fami - .J
lies as they are.

Any efforts , the refore, that may be made and, partic ularly , any
program that offers good possibilities of solution deserve the
most careful consideration.

After studying t he two conventional m ethods r eferred to above, '1

it is proper to investigat e the extent to which the system of
commun!!J action, b e tter known as self-help and mutual help,
will make U possibl e to salve the housing problem of the
masses with a mínimum cost to the government. Before pro- ~
ceeding with the analys is, however , it is advisable to record
here the work being done by the government to provide rural
families with a p ar ee! of land on which to build their homes.
This is, undoubte dly , a first step in the solution of the hous-
ing proble m in the rural ar eas.

THE SOCIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTR ATION OF THE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE

The Social Programs Administration, here inafter referred to as

SPA, is the government agency that has been most influential
in trying to salve the rural housing problem.

2/It is estim ated that du::ring the l ast 10 years, a total of

43,481 houses were built by prívate enterprises.

3/ Annual Repor t, 1958-59, Urban Renewal Corporation.

 4

r Based on a philosophy of deep social significance, the program

of planned rural communities offers the rural worker the best
opportunity to own in usufruct for life a piece of land where he
may build bis borne, feel secure, and enjoy sorne essential pub-
L lic services denied to him so far.

When the agrarian legislation of 1941 was passed, a program

was adopted in the Land Autho.,rity of Puerto Rico to establish
planned rural communities for the purpose of resettling more
than 100,000 families of rural workers who lived in "agrego "4/
throughout the rural areas.

Later, in 1948, a reorganization took place by legislativa action,

creating the SPA under the Department of Agricultura and Com-
merce.

Following a master plan adopted jointly by officials of the Planning

Board and the SPA great progress has been made in the establish-
r ment of rural communities for the benefit of the "agregados "• The
last Annual Report of theSPA states that as of December 30, 1959
a total of 299 rural communities had been established, providing
50,681 parcels for families and 4,390 for utilities and public ser-
'- vices. 5/
Each one of the se rural communities is the result of a careful
study and detailed analysis in accordance with the most modern
planning techniques. The number of parcels devoted to families
in a community varies from 75 to 500. The size of a paree! is
from 0.25 to 3 cuerdas. 6/ Streets 13 meters in width, and land
for active and passive recreation, as well as for public ser-
vices and other activities o f the community are provided. 71

4/ In Spanish "agrego" is said of a worker who lives and works

in a farro, but who does not own the land on which bis borne
is built. Frequently, he do es not own the house in which
he lives, either.

5/ See Appendix 1, Map of Puerto Rico where the rural com-

munities established by Municipalities are located.

6/ One "cuerda" is equivalent to 0.97 of an acre.

71 See Appendix 2, Typical design of a planned rural community.

 5

A Great Social Change

The regrouping in pl anned communitie s of the laborer and bis 1

family has been one of the main factors r esponsible for the im-
provement in the levels and standards of living in the rural com-
munities. Many services, suc h as drinking water , electric
lights and schools are provided. These improvements have
caused great transformations in the levels of living and a spira-
tions of the rural families .

Howeve_r, the greatest achievement, the mos t significant and

dram~tlC . change that has taken place in the rural population
dwelhng m communities has been of a s ocial nat ure. In de-
veloping a g enuine sense of cornmunity among the families
through the combined efforts of different institutions and groups
as well as through the influence of professional le aders hip , great
changes in attitudes and in the philosophy of the people have
t~en place. This edycational process , gene r ally s low in a so-
c_Iety, has been markedly rapid in the case of pl anned communi-
tles • This phenomenon m ay be par tly at tributed to the intensive
work of SPA personnel such as rural sociologists, borne impr ove -
ment specialists, social workers health educators and agrono- '
mists. '

Achievements

The accomplishments of the r esettled f amilies that best r e- l

fle~ their changes in attitudes may be appreci ated in the com-
m.Jill.i.ty_ action.-progum undertake n through thei:r:._ c~er a I_!.e
an;!_yol~oxts. Based on the awar e ness of their needs.
the neighbors themselves have ctetermined, on a priority basis,
which aspect of improvement of the community they wish t o
~dertake. With due orientation, guidance and technic al direc-
hon, the families have solved m any of the numerous problem s
t?at beset them. Of a l ong list of achievem ents a few are m en-
twned: construction of community centers, cl assrooms, l unch
rooms, children 's breakfast stations , privys , s treet repairs
and pavement, maintenance of athletic parks and m any others • ...J

Mutual Aid and Self Help

One of the most fruitful jobs unde rtake n by the neighbors in a \'
community is the construction of hous es following the p r incipie 1
of mutual aid and s elf-help. The r esults of the effort and pe rsis-
tance of the families in solving their housing problems give one
of the most encouragino- examples of what can be expected from
people who have s ucceeded in overcoming their great limitations
and, with a new and strong attitude, show the world the power )
and s trength of cooperatio~Such is the following unique example, !.J
 6

that of the pioneers of ''San José."

THE DRAMA TIC EXPERIMENT IN

THE "SAN JOSE" RURAL COMMUNITY

Origin of the Community

The planned rural community of ~an José was established by the

SPA on the 28th of September of ~4,5 in a typically rural zone of
the precinct of "Media Luna" in tbe municipality of Toa Baja.
One hundred forty-one families lived in that area, lacking a place
of their own, not even awning a piece of land to build a house on.
The families were scattered in isolated distant corners of the
farm where the community was locat ed, many of them lived in
other places of the 'b a rrio" : but all of them belonged to the
group of "agregados" of the neighborhood. The depressing name
with which the place was baptized - "Ahoga Perros" (a place
where even dogs get drowned) seemed to represent the general
pattern of living of those families. Low income, s e asonal jobs,
large families (6 to 9 members), malnutritíon, inadequate hous-
íng, lack of public services; all these conditions characterized
the daily liie of the inhabitants of "Ahoga Perros."
The reader may well imagine the eagerness with which these
families welcomed the benefits of the Agrarían Reform, with its
J deep significance of 'Socialjustice which materializ~d in a ~e
J 1f of land to build their ñouses on. This is the origin of the ruriil
'é'Om.muni y.

"Ahoga Perros" becomes San José

T he families thus benefited with a parcel of land began to move

to the new c ommunity early in 1946. Those wer e hard days
sin ce the community lacked water, el ectric power, schools and
an athletic park. Conditions became worse during the rainy sea-
, had been paved.
son since no streets

However, little by little, the families developed a deep, strong

sense of belonging to the community; slowly but persistently a
genunine community spirit\permeated the community·and a deep
pride for their new place of residence developed. Guided by
SPA personnel the families met to discuss their own problema
and decide on the action to be taken. A committee of neighbors
was organized, elec~d by themselves, which they called 'Govern-
. ' ment Committee "~ 8 // (Community Council) and a community ac-
tion plan was prepared in which objectives and goals for the im--
crÍ
FS/ Since ' 1956 the name ''Citizen 's Committee was adopted
as more appropriate.
 7

provem ent of the condit ions in t he community was drawn.

The dynamic activity of the community commcils in coopera-

tion with the f amilies was r esponsibl e for notable changes in
the community : s treets wer e repaired , pure drinking water
was m ade avail abl e , and pl ans were developed for the construc-
tion of two classrooms and a lunch room. Also, steps were
t aken to prepare a tract of l and f or an athletic park.

Ver y soon those people b ecame aware of their potential strength

and a ver y s ignüicant change devel oped. So, one day, the JV,Aole/ .,. .
community decided to change its name to •san José", a fact _,
which reflects changes in attitude s, in under standing, in self-
confidence .

The Houses

Notwiths tanding the improvement in s ervices to the community ,

an undesirable condition was immediat ely apparent -- the sub-
s tandard dwelling which these low income families had been
forced to build, shacks made of mixed m at erials , str aw, wood,
"yagua ", zinc, c ardboard, boards, et c. They wer e exposed to
the rains, and very inadequate to shelter human beings .

This problem, characteristic of the community, was the sa.me

problem which afflicted the rural ar eas of P uer to Rico. Thou- 1
sands of families hoping for a better living, unable to achieve 1
it because of limited economic r esources !! !

The Experiment

It was imper ative to find a satisf actory solution to the prob-

l em. The idea of producing a house at the lowest possible cost,
compatible with the earning capacity of the family was studied.
The t ask was düficult. On this subject the Manual for the Or--
ganization of Pilot Projects on Mutual Aid and Self-Help Hous-
ing s tates:
"Befor 1949 prívat e enterprise and government authorities, in-
cluding organizations having various functions, had undertaken
experiments and projects in the hope of finding a solution to
the housing problem. The effor t s of the Homest ead Commission,
the P uerto Rico Reconstruction Administration, The Farmers
Home Administr ation, the War Emergency Progrnm, the Model
Home Board, and the severa! Housing Authoritie$ deserve recog-
nition. These efforts, however, were unsuccessful, in large part,
because they failed to develop a house fulfilling satisfactory re-
quirements as to location and design that could be built at a cost
and under a financing arrangement witbin the purchasing capa-
city of l ow income families. Good houses were produced and
 8

valuable experience was acquired, b_u t ~o practica! system .]"e-

sulted from them by way of offer1ng opportunities to develqp
housi~g on a large scale. 9/
. - -- - -

It was necessary to find a system by means of which families

with very low inc orne could avail themselves of adequate hous-
ing at such a low cost to be within their economic capacity.
With this in rnind a plan was scheduled, which took form as it
was being analyzed.

The Executi ve Order

One of the biggest difficulties to overcorne in carrying out the

idea was that of creating the financia! resources necessary
for the purpose. The experimental project was presented to the
Governor and an executive order was obtained from hirn grant-
\ '· ing the SPA the surn of $10,000 to carry it out. The Gove rnor's
~·
authorization marked the beginning and the success of the ex-
periment.
~·
Planning the Expe riment ~ w.
&nw.ov.'f- ~ ---~ .,., • '
From the start, the experimental project gave active parti-
cipation to the families of the community. After discussing
it with the community leaders, the development plan was
drafted. It was intended that the SPA would provide assistance
to famili e s that could not afford it or could not get it elsewhere.

When conside ring the help that the farnilies themselves may
furnish two typical characteristics of the Puertp Rican pea-

r sant were thought. of: (1) his natural attitude of helping his
neighbors and (2) the high esteem he has for the fulfillment
of bis agreement, bis "gentleman 's agr eements." From the
start it was evident that one of the strongest pilla rs of the ex-
periment would be that: the interested families themselves 1

- would provide the labor free of c ost.

Socio-economical questionnaires filled out by the SPA at the

time of r elocating the families, s howed that more than two-
thirds had e nough financia! capacity to contribute an initial
quota or down payment. They could contribute, besides, with
the usable m at e rials from their old houses.

9/ Manual for the Organization of Pilot Projects in Mutual

Aid and Self-Help in Housing. Interarnerican Center in
Housing and Planning - Bogotá 1953, p age 44, Luis Rivera
Santos, Enrique Bird, Lorenzo Muñoz, Emilio Davila.
 9 .~

The SPA would provide the m aterials and construction equip-

ment as a loan and give free t echnica1 help. This would consist
of guidance in the technological and s oci al asp ects, design of a
typical plan in accordance with the cus toms and tastes of the
group, and periodic s upervision during the construct ion process.
' 1- . ~
Methodology r
"t
Ó ,- r""""" ... ~ e JL
..,.
"'

The Gener al Plan is discussed with the families at meetings with

large g roups and at study c ircles for small gr oups . The meeting
ta.ke place in the houses, '1:lateyes ", (yard) s treets and roads.
~,t •.,....,...
After discus sing Th1?15fa n, ~d after interviewing the applicant s
~hrough questioMaires 12 applicants wer e willing to join the pro-
Ject. The f amilies solemnly agreed to comply with their contr act,
they bound their ''gentleman 's word" and their ''Word of honor. "

Sorne of the terms of the agreement were :

l. To work personal! y and without compensation in the con-

struction of the house.

2. To work together from the beginning to the end of the pro-

ject helping one another. ·

3~ Each head of family would work a mínimum of two days

per week: one day between Monday to Friday and one
day during the ·week-end. (Saturday or Sunday)
¡O

4. To follow the typical plan designed and approved by the

group.

5. To construct first the blocks to be used in all the bouses.

To make use of any usable m ater ials of their old houses.
To build with it the kitchen.

6. To work in the construction of the houses simultaneously

and by stages.

7 • To accept the technical supe r vision of the SPA.

8. To contribute a down payme nt of $20.00 at the beginning

of construction and $20.00 at the end. ,

9. To pay monthly amortizations until the loan made by the

SPA is total!y paid; begiJUling the payments upon delivery
of the house.

10. To ac.cept any other agreement of the group s.nd SPA ~ot
menhoned in tbe aforementioned rules.
.

10

---l.tl11risr"1s the beginning of the pilot project for the construction of

housing by mutual aid and self-help! Would this group of dreamers
overcome all difficulties?
The work is undertaken relying on the faith that the families have
among themselves. Faith of the human being in his fellow being.

But the struggle was hard. The effort required compelled them
to work incessantly, first in the casting of the cement blocks and
Iater in the construction of the houses. Neither the sun nor the
rain nor the thousands of inconveniences made these pioneers
stop their w_ork. E eD-IDO.nths later the miracle had become a
realify and the ~t_projeg_t of houses with mutual aid and self-
help was a reality.
San José as a Training School
The project turned out to be a training school for the men in the
group and for the government officials who were interested in the
new program. The group learned how to make blocks, erect col-
umns and reinfórce roofs. Inthemeantimethe officials of the SPA
were studying the techniques and methods used in this project,
"{: which was a laboratory where the great potentialities of the la -
1 rp,!l in a~ were being tested.
It was far from the imagination of the twelve neighbors who ini-
tially accepted the plan, or of the official of SPA, that the experi-
ment in San José would be the dramatic beginning of a vigorous
bousing program that would benefitthousandsoffamiliesin Puerto
Rico, and that the project of San José was to be an example to be
followed by low income familles of other countries in solving the
problem of a safe, permanent and sanitary shelter.

MUTUAL AID AND SELF·BELP

Introduction
The experiences acquired in this first experiment in San José
brought to light many important social aspects of the housing prob-
lem. In the first place, it was demonstrated that a permanent and
sanitary house may be built at a very low cost. In the second
place, and of greater importance, is the resultant sociological im-
J
pact of the social interaction wbich makes it possible for groups
to work together without compensation for a common objective -
) the improvement of their homes. Under a new approach, the old
traditions of cooperation and help to neighbors provide a frame- ·
 11

work for accomplis hing a great job for the benefit of the com-
m W'lity.

T he first stage of the low cost housing program is cha r acter-

ized by a period of training, of trial and error . But the out-
s tanding fact is that neithe r during this period nor later has
ther e been a failure . Undoubte dly, the program h as confronted
m any difficulties and many compl ex proble ms , but an adequate
solution h as always been wor ked out and success h as~ been
ach ieved , as the stati s tics show.
T' ..
What factors have caused this s uccess? In the following pages
we s ubm it a det aile d an alysis of the methods and procedures
a dopted i n the Hous in& Progr a m based on mutual aid and self-
he lp.

Planning the Progr am

A p rogram of action as compl ex as the one developed by mutual

aid and self-help me thods requires the most caref ul pl annil}g,
especially when expanded to incl ude m any construction p;ojects
in diffe r ent localities simultaneously.
1
In de veloping a vast program of construction of houses following
those m ethods ther e arise s orne factors difficult to control or
predict. This is s o b e caus e the p r inc ipie of m utual a id and self-
he lp is pres ent during all t he process of construction in which
none of the workers r eceive any compensation for his work. When
all oper ations r est upon the basis of social control, sense of
respons ibility , willingness to cooper ate and the will to solve a
problem, it becomes necessa ry t o pl an carefully and in detail J
all their difficult aspect s .

Acceptance of the Program

Si nce the whol e process i s one of mutual cooperation and of W'l-

der s tanding of the progr am it is absolutely necessary to dissem-
inat e a great deal of sci entifically analyzed information that will
induce the acceptance of the idea. The wish to be accepted so-
cially, the desire t o satisfy a n eed -- in this case a better house -- /
pl ay a very s ignificant role i n the s uccess of a vast housing pro-
gr am . Therefore, the cultural patterns existing concerni.ng hous-
ing as shown i n the s tudy, or s urvey, prev iously made, weT~ .taken
in consider ation. This study p rovi ded the basis for arnvmg at
such determinants as:
a) Size of the house - The original study shows that the
average size of t he rural house is 14' wide by 1 -i ' deep
t'4.27 m x 4,87 m).
 12

b) Are a distribution- The typical peasant house averages

two rooms plus an overhang where the kitchen is located.

e) Porch Area- Amongthe existing cultural values the porch

is of great importance since it means higher social sta-
tus.

d) Construction Materials - The feeling about security is

outstanding in every individual in Puerto Rico. The fear
of climatic phenomena has developed in the population a
desire to own a type of house which is resistant to hur-
ricanes, to deterioration by humidity, to termites and to
fire hazards. All the se re.asons pointed out the advisa-
bility of adopting the use of reinforced concrete.

A discussion on the clifferent materials of construction and the rea-

soning behind the decision to use reinforced concrete is submitted
later on.
In conclusion, as a result of very careful planning, a reinforced
concrete house was designed in which all the factors mentioned
above were taken into consideration. 10/

It is interesting to note the outstanding acceptance which the pro-

gram has received in the rural areas as well as in cities and towns,
as contrasted with the indifference with which the families looked
at the reinforced concrete house in the rural ar eas during the de-
cade of the thirties.

Economic changes and the development of new attitudes has un-

r doubtedly made possible the acceptance of the program.

Centralization of Services

Since 1949, after the first house was built, the program has been
developed by the SPA. It has been flexible in operation, a f act
which has permitted adjustments whenever needed and made pos-
sible drawing decisions at the right time . This is one of the f ac-
tors which has contributed to its success , especi ally in the initial
years during which time complete liberty of action was neces-
sary. Once the necessary funds are allocated, the agency has
compl ete authority to make decisions on technical and admini str a-
tive matters. To illustrate the authority and autonomy enjoyed by
the Agency sorne comments are given in regard to its operating
procedure with equipment, materi als, costs and supervision of
construction. Equipment - Since the families can only contribute

10 / Se e Appendix 3, Plan of a typical house under the mutual aid

and self-help system.
 13

with their labor, the equipment needed to carry out the project
must be provided by the Agency. Thus, it has been necessary
to invest large sums of money in the purchase of such equipment
as trucks, concrete mixer, and forms.

Trucks - Trucks are needed to haul construction materials such

a s gravel, sand . stone, steel, lumber. etc. to each one
of the projects in construction.

Cement Mixers - Construction is greatly speeded when concrete

mixers are available. Each housing project
uses at least one cement mixer.
Forms

The SPA provides the families with set of forros. As soon as

the decision was made to eliminate the use of cement blocks and
instead adopt reinforced concrete. experiments were done with
different kinds of forms: lumber ami metal, .sectional and whole
forms. Finally, experience has shown. that the most convenient
forms are those made in sections 55.5" high (1.4 11\eters), that
is half the height of the wall. The. wall is therefore built in two
pourings. Once the roof form is set, the slab ís poured in a
single operation to insure a monolithic construction.

Purchases

The agreement between the government and the families provides

that the families will be furnished .all the materials. Once con-
struction is completed, the families pay in very low monthly
installments (with no interest charges) the cost of the materials
plus a proportional share for use of the equipment.

It is the responsibility of SPA to obtain the materials at the 1

lowest possible cost. The purchase of materials has been central-
ized so as to obtain lowest prices by buying at wholesale through
bids submitted by commercial suppliers. A purchasing com-
mittee studies the proposals and awards purchase contracts to
the lowest bidder. A careful inventory of both materials and
equipment is maintained and detailed accounting is kept at all
times. This procedure guarantees absolute control of expendi-
tures and use of materials and equipment.

Costs

As it is absolutely neces s ary to maintain costs at the lowest

level possible, new measures of control are continuously being
put into practice. As an example we may mention the experience
acquired in the d.istribution of materials for the different projects.
 14

Originally all materials for each project we re delive red at the

project and the distribution to each unit took place there. A
car eful analysis indicated the convenience of changing this method.
Today, materials s uch as steel wire, lumber for door and window
frames, and electrical supplies are prep ar e d and packed in
central warehouses and distributed to each project on the basis
of quantity-number per unit. In this way the waste of material
i s avoided.

Acc ounting

Cost accounting is carried on in the central office and charges

in the books are made against individual proj ects . The total
c ost is distributed among the number of units in the projec t.
This accounts for the düferences in cost per unit in the different
proj ects . ll/

Supervision

Sinc e most of the rural families in the Hous ing Program have
very little experience in construction work it is necessary to
¡ conduct an inte nsive educational c ampaign and to exerci se constant
s upervision over the technical phases of the work.

Ade quate supervision is-the b est m eans to assure proper building

of the house. A foreman is appointed for each project and placed
in ch arge of the group a nd the project from s t art to fini s h. 12/
This fore man is the only person in the group yvho r eceives com -
p e n sation for his work. All money p aid in wages to this fore man
is c harged to the proj ect. For thi s reason it is very important
th at the group work effi c i ently a nd without del ays .

Besi des the for eman the hous ing program provides for a con-
struc tion supervisor who visit s , ins p ect s, s upervises and solves
any probl em s whi ch may ari se. Generally , the construc tion
s upe rvisor i s in charge of s ix or more proj ect s, equivalent t o
approxima tel y 250 houses tmder construction.

The construction eng ineer also visits t he proj ects under way so
that any problem ari sing maybe sol ved at the earliest opportunity.
The speed with which problems are attended to and solved proved
to b e an important factor in the success of a proj ect and in main-
taining the morale of the group at a high level.

11/ See Appendix 4 for detailed analysis of cost per unit.

12/ Construction foreman i s a term used to designate a skilled
construction worker, able to deal with roen, who is r espons-
ible for t he immediate supervision of the housing project.
 ..
- - 1 Jo"O '
Construction of the Houses

In order to give the r eade r a complete and detailed picture of

the interesting pr ocess of cons truction of house s using the mutual/
aid and self-help methods it is convenient to clifferentiate between ) . /
the social and educational aspects o f the project and the purely
m echanical aspect of construction.

It has been pointed out frequently that the most important aspect
of the construction scheme is that the fañillies work and give
all their cooperation without receiving an:y monetary compensation.
An e nterpr ise b ased on this type of work needs to know before-
hand that it has sufficient control of the difterent factors contribut-
ing to the success of the work.

This m atter acquires greater importance if the r eader is aware

that the technical problema of construction are reduced to a
mínimum since the work is simple and uniforrn. It is the socio- ~?
educational aspect that requires greater dedication and attention •
long befare construction begins.

Social and Educational Aspec~

Selection of the community: The fir~t- step in developing projects

included in the Housing Program for a given fiscal year is the
adequate selection of the localities where the houses will be
built. This has been mostly in the rural commuruties established
by the SPA. 13/

Since those communities have already been planned they offe r

the best physical 'and social conditions for developing housing
proj ects. In the initial stage of the experiment the f irst group
of houses built under aided- self- help methods was carried out
by the SPA in a planned community. Logically, the agency had
acquired an experience which could be extended to the many
other communities it has established.

On the other hand, families living in planned comm.unities enjoy

the possession of their lots in ''Us ufruct "· This security of
possession gives them an advantage over other population groups

13/Law No. 75 of June 19, 1957, which arnends Xrticle 73 A-1

of Law No. 26 of April 12, 19411 providing funde for the Program
of Low Cost Housing establishes that the SPA may build houses
using the system of mutual aid in planned rural communies, in
projects of family size farms, establishedbytheSPA, in tninimum
facility urbanizations, and in other places in the rural area. Up
to the p r esent the housing program has been developed mostly
in the planned rural communities .
 n ducation- is a l'ññ~St' in any community project. Notice the
:;; ' _attentiveness of - ffie neighbors at this meeting on housing and
J aided self-help.

Hon. Luis Muñoz Marlh, Governor of Puerto Rico, addresses a

group of families wbo are about to receive their plot of land in
a new planned rural community.

An "agregado", head of family, draws a number which will give

bim the right to a plot in the new planned community.
 16

possession gives them an advantage over other population groups

who, not having clear title to their prope rty, makes it necessary
to investigate the title of each applicant.

The planned rural communities also offer the advantage of having

a population center organized under planning standa rds, with
contiguous l ots of uniform size , which makes it easie r to carry
out the housing program.

Another important reason in s el ecting the planned communities

is the fact that relocated f amilies have shown a high degree of
residential stability. T~ have developed a high degree of·
c2.!!ll!luni1J_ feeling. Thanks to their ·p hysical proximity to in-
tensive social interrel ations, to a high ~pirit of coope r ation and /
to the mutual understanding of the problems affecting them , it
is easier to apply the principies and techniques of mutual aid
and s elf-help a mong these familie·s. The decision about sel ecting
those communities to develop a housing projec t responds to the
need of the families and their desire to salve their hous ing prob-
l ems. Their interest in theprogram is shown by me ans of letter s,
telegrams, telephone calls, visits of committees to the central
office , petitions through the l ocal leaders, etc. Their demand
for houses is generally twice as much as the actual capacity of
the Agency to satisfy it.

It has been established as a rule that a short s tudy of the com-

munity should precede any work done with the familie s. This
study includes the collection of data on gener al character istics
of the community s uch as : location, s ize , number of families,
topographical features, condition of tbe streets, avail ability of
water and el ectric services , et c. 14/ Analysis is also made of
any avail able statistics on the community in order to become
acquainted with their economic r esources , sources of work, etc.

Meetings

The SPA has m ade efforts to circulate a great amount of informa-

tion on the housing program through lectures, pictures, trips . r
mimeographed material, posters, etc . All this has contributed
towards acquainting the families with the program and making
them feel the desire to do what others ha ve already accomplished.
,
1
In other words. we have succeeded in fosteringthe idea of follow-
ing the lead of others.

--
'
The system of m utual aid r equires complete guidance and the
acceptanc e of the working plan by the g roup. The educational

14/ See Appendix 5 - Schedule for the Preliminar Study of

the Community.
 17

,
process reaches a climax in a mínimum of three meetings with '1 •
the families of a community. - -

The heads of families in the community are invited to the first

meeting. The officer in charge discusses the communíty action
plan 15/ and explains in general terma the program of Low Coat
Housing. The relative advantagea and difficulties of community
action as a means of aolving their problema are discusaed and
reference is made to the problem of houaíng and the possibilíties
of its solution through the application of the principies of utual
aid. The mínimum requirements established for the selection
of a community are also discussed. Literature on community
1ol'lf action plans and selection of a community is distributed. A list
of those present is made.

At this m eeting the group receives sorne ínformation about the

¡ possibilíties of organizing a savings society for the construction
of houses. tf/
1, •

The second meeting is held(Qneg~ months later. The families

r present at the first meeting a re invited to attend, although all
persons interested are admitted. The roll is caBed and those
attending for the first time are added to the list. At this second
1
meeting the program of Low Cost Housing is discussed with
emphasis placed on the requirements which the community must
- meet in so far a s facilities and attitudes are concerned.. Mímeo-
graphed material on the selection of applicants is distributed,
and pertinent details are discussed. Any questions or issues
brought up by the neighbors about the matters discussed in the
first meeting are also discussed. ''

The third meeting is held from fÓUrJ ~u( wee~a

after the s econd.
The families present at the second meeting are invited. The roll
is called and those attending fo r the first time are added to the
list. The details of house construction (type of house, cost,
group organization, administ rative organization and installment
payment plan) are discussed at this meeting. Questíons on the
matters discussed at the preceeding meetings are also answered.

Once the third meeting has been held the official in charge is
generally able to make recommendations on the feasibility of
developing a program in the community. In sorne cases four or
five meetings have been necessary before arrivlng at adecision,
while in others it has been easy to determine, after the fi~or
second _meeting, that the community does meet the desirable
éonditions to carry out the project.

15/ See Appendix 6 - The Community Action Plan.

 Selection of the Applicant s

As soon as the community is s elected, an investigation of e ach

fam ily is made. This important function is car r ied out by a
Social Worker. The investigation is made through an interview
with the family and any additional information which may be
obtained in the community. All the information is entered in
the forro prepar ed for this purpose 16/ which serves to determine
r whether the inter ested families meet the requirements for the
program.

To insur e the success of the project it is necessary to make the

best possibl e selection of the group of families. Careful and
detailed s tandards ha ve been developed to make the best selection
possible . 171 ?

.\11 the requirements are explained in detail to the applicants

so that tbis period of investigation al so constitutes an additional
phase of orientation and education of the famUies. The selection
of and final deter rñination on the applicants is made by a committee
cons isting of the Executive Dir ector of the SPA, the Chief of tbe ..,
Hous ing Bureau, and tbe Chief of the Division of Group Guidance
and Organi zation. G~nerally this fin al selection is made within
(tw« t~e weeks from the date on Which the investigation
,, - -oogins , so that the l apse of time is not so long as to discourage
the applicant s . The selected families ar e so notified in writing.
The same l etter 18/ informs them of the date and hour of tbe
meeting to be held for the organization of the working groups.

Or ganization of Groups

The group cons i sts of thirty or more heads of families. Eacb

group is s ubdivided into 5 working units composed of six persons
e ach or more. In tbis way ther e will be a working unit of six
or more roen working on the proj ect during each of the five work-
ing days of the week (from Monday through Friday). This organ-
ization is m ade in sucb a way that ever y member of tbe group
will be working one day of each week. Thus, durlng each week
ther e will be a group of at least s ix workers on the project <luring
each of the f ive working days. Such distribution of the works

16/ See Appendix 7 Schedule for the Investigatlon for the Rural
Housing Program.

17/ See Appendix 8 (Note - See tables or appendix for this title).

18/ See Appendix 9 Letter written to the neighbors with infor-

m ation about selection for the housing project.
 19

allows every man to make the neccesary arrangements to be

pr esent during the same day each week, simplifies the control
of attendance, and allows each person a margin to work and earn
his _living during the four days in which he is not working on the
proJect.

r The o~ganization of a group is very carefully undertaken. The

educahonai and guidance functions which began during the m eetings
fOF lfie selection of the community are continued in other meetings.
When the time comes to establish the formal organization of
the group, its members are already conscious of the desirability
of that organization. This f acilitates to a great extent the task
; of organization.

Officials of the central office, in cooperation with the local officials

of the agency, organize the group in the locality where the project
is to be developed. The members of the group are made to
understand that whenever difficulties or problems arise they are
\' 1 free to bring them to the attention of the officials of the SPA for
help in finding a solution.

The Housing Committee

The first phase of a formal organization of the group is the selection

or election, by the members themselves, of a Housing Committee
which will have the important function of reducing supervisory
costs. This commitee is composed of a president, a secretary
and a treasurer. The comrnittee acts as a liaison between the
group and the central office, and at the same time its members
assume leadership, seeing to it that the group members fulfill
their obligations, particularly that of being present at their shifts.

The organization of this committee is of great importance since

the efficiency of the group depends, to a large extent , on its
effectiveness. This point is repeatedly brough t to the attention
of the group so that when sel ecting committee members they will
have in mind those persons who will best contribute to the succe s s
of the project. The r ecord, s o f ar, has been excellent.

The s econd aspect of the formal organization of the group con-

stitutes the organization of the 5 working units. The fundamental
idea is to organize those working units in the mos t eff ective way
possible. The preferences expres sed by the members of the
group ar e take n into cons ideration. They are asked to express
their preferences about the neighbors with they wis h to constit ute
a wor king unit, thus the unit is strengthened by the friendly
rel ations which already exi st.

The criterion of preference is not the only one needed in organ-

1zmg the working W1its. Every possible effort is made to group
in the various working m1its persons who have different skills
and abilities so that the effectiveness of the organizational m1it
is increased.

The weekly shift for each member is also arranged at his con-
venience. If, on a certain date he has sorne work outside of the
project he is not included in the unit for that day. In this way
the shüts represent the lowest possible degr ee of personal hard-
s hip. ~..J- • p ' ).. • ~ ~ ..¿,......_ -.....
(QE -- --- ~ ___.u~ •
~enerally e organization of the group is accomplished in one
~eeting. The grou~gin to operate at the earliest _possi?le
hme with a minimn¡n of problems and a maximum of understanding•
of the social and technical aspects of the construction of houses.

After the organization of the group is completed, and through

all the construction process, aqditional meetings are held to - v'
maintain the solidarity of the gr oup and its effective productivity.
When a new st-ªge in construction begins, a meeting is held and v
the group receives the necessary instructions ; suppleme ntedlater
by specific instructions on the job given to each one of the working
W1its.

Wh-~ necessary, m eeting,s are held with the group to clarify •

añQ== so1ve any problems that m ay have come up in any of the
construction stages. These meetiJ1gs are held either on petition
of the group, or on the initiative of the central off ice when noticing
slow p rogress, or when cost s are too high. In this way the r e is
a constant c heck on any forces that might tend to disintegrate
the group which must necessarily work together during a rel ative-
ly long period o! time.

It is convenient to point out here that the meetings to or ganize

a group are held by offici al s of the SPA in the presence of the
construction supe rvisors and the foreman who will l ate r deal
with the group once construction begins. Thus , the me mbe r s
of the group and the supervisory personnel become acquainted
with each other from the st art, and this simplifies the job of
maintaining the cohesiveness of the group. The r espons ibility
of the construction supervisor and the foreman is s uch as to
justify their careful sel ection, t aking into consideration their
personality, attitudes, and effectiveness while working with r ural
families. 19/ This personnel receives special trnining so that

19/ The est ablished norm is to select as foreman those persons

who have been outstanding for their ability and knowledge
in the projects already complet ad. Later they are subjected 11
to special training.
 21

they may carry on their functions and increase their effectiveness

in the professional as well as in the technical field, such as in
the organization and administration of groups.

The cost of the house will depend greatly on the initial group
organization and its operation during the construction period.
The cost of materials, equipment and transportation are fixed,
an increase over their total presdetermined cost of $350 will
be the result of poor organization and of inefficient operation
of the group. This is the reason for the precautions taken in
this aspect of the development of the housing projects.

Aspects of Construction

The specüications for the typical house are simple. The work
consists of a structure built of reinforced concrete from the
foundations to the roof slab.20/

The houses have the following accomodations: a living-dining

room, two bedrooms and a porch.21/ The area built of reinforced
concrete is 324 square feet (30.ll square meters), or 18 1 long
by 18 1 wide (5.48 meters x 5.48 meters). The ceiling height is
9 feet (2. 7 meters). The families build a kitchen in the back of
the house with the utilizabale materials of their present house.
The first step in construction is the carrying of equipment and
necessary materials to each house. The concrete mixer, forms,
shovels, etc. are delive redfrom the central warehouse of the SPA.
The r equis itions for purchases and shop orders are processed
simultaneously so as not to delay the work. Purchase of crushed
stone and the supply of sand is arranged for. At the same time all
required steps are taken to ha ve the workmen covered by labor
insurance, for which each member of the group pays the amount
of $2.35.

A member of the group, generally the secretary of the Committee ,

signs receipts for the material and is made responsible for the
storing of equipment and m ate rials.22/ As a result of the training
r eceived the whole group takes good care of the equipment and
the materials.

20/ See Appendix 3 - Floor P lan of a typical r ural house.

21/ Sanitary facilities consist of a privy or l atrine separated

from the house.

22/ See Appendix 10 - Building Materials required for the

Housing Program.
As an initial step in the construction of thelr houses, nelghbors
learn the technlque of marking the ground for the new house.

Each family diga the ground for lts new bouse.

Stage in which eacb has completed tbe fioor alabe and steel roda
mark locatton for r eiDforced cement walls. Notice old wooden
bouse in background.
 22

Laying out of Hous es

The Puerto Rico Planning Board r egulat es the cons truc tion of
houses in the Isla nd ancl all const ruc tion mustfollow the standards
and r egul ations establis hed by the Board. The work of l aying
out the house is done according to said r egulations, under the
s upervision of the const r uction s upervis or. This work is very
important since it fixes the location of the group of houses a nd
of e ach individual house . It requires technical knowledge to avoicl
exc ess ive costs , assure safety , etc .
,
Footing Excavations J
As soon as the l ayout is finis h ed a for eman is assigned to worl<
with the group on the proje c t whi ch will be supervised by the
construction s uper visor. His first job is to direct the excavations
for footings . This job is carri e d out in the arde r already pre-
de termined.

The experience acquired from m ost of the proj ects s hows that
as s oon as the for e m an has ta ught the me n how to do the exca-
vation each one , on hi s own, continues the excavations for his
own h ouse , (in a ddition to the time he works in the r egular shift ),
thus a ccele r ating the completion of this s tage . An important
consequence of s uch working s pirit is that the supervisory cost
of the f orem an is r educed since ex cavation time is cons iderably
s hortened.

Re inforcem ent

Whe n the excavation is finis hed the r einfor c ing rods are pl ac ecl
in pos it ion at the prope r distances , and ti ed with g al vanize d wire .
The s upe r vi sor ins truct s on the co rrect proceclure t o be foll owe cl.

P ouring Concr ete

P our ing of concrete for foundat ions , walls , floor s a nd r oofs

follows the excavation and is done in t he or de r n amed. No single
house is fini s hed ahead of the others unl ess it is neecle cl as a
warehouse while cons truction of the project is under way . It
is of utmos t importance tha t th e foreman expl ain t o the group
the propor tions of the conc r ete aggr e gates to be used in the
clifferent parts of the structure in accordance with the s pecifica-
tions . The exact quantity of each aggr e gate going into the conc r et e
for the diffe r ent part s of the s truct ure a r e apec ified. In a rde r
lo avoicl defective cons truct ion due to imprope r use of m at erials,
i t i s the forem an 's duty to see that these specifications a re not
alter ed.
Neighbors r eady to pour conc r ete in the flrst stage of the walls .

Walls at the second and las t s tage. Nottce working equlpment.

Walls already up. Ne lghbors rub walls wlth burlap and cement
emulsion to substitute for plasterlng, thus reduclng cos ta.
 23
Finishing Surfaces

Ea ch house must be finished without plastering, instead the walls

are rubbed, generally with wet burlap as soon as the forros are
removed. Since the concrete is still fresh , rubbing creates a
s mooth surface which looks much like being plastered. This
process, besides being economical, accomplish~s anhomogeneous
construction without dange r of c r acking or loosening of the plaster
due to unskilled labor.

P ainting of the Houses

\
The painting of the hous e is the individual responsibility of the
family and not of the group. To accelerate completion of the J
proj ect and at the same time insure prompt r elocation of the
fa milies, each family is given the paint needed for the exterior
and inter ior pa inting of its house.

Doors a.nd Windows

In order to reduce costs and at the same time make use of those
m at erials of the original houses which are still in good condition,
each f amily makes from them the doors and windows for its house.
This is part of the original agreement.

Constantly, it is noted that many in the group through their personal

effort s , equip their houses with new doors and windows, the l atte r
g e nerally of the alum.inum "Miami" type . In sorne cases due to
special reasons there has been a.n agr eement to include new doors
and windows chargeable to the proj ect.

Installation of Electric Light

All the houses built under the Mutual Aid P l an, r egardles s of
their geographical location, are provided with electric light
ins tallations. In this wayr the program and priorities established
by the gove rnment for rural el ectrific ation are advanced; and
when electr ic light service is provided to the "ba rrio", the houses
already have the facilities to make use of the s e rvic e.

It s hould be pointed out that e ve n though the houses are provided

with the ins tallation for el ectric light, it i s l eft to e ach family
'
to obtain the ser vice as well as to p ay for it.

Completion of the P roject

A project is not considered complet ed until all the houses a re

totally built. In the final stages SPA as signs to the project a
home improvem ent specialist -- SPA offi cial. His work is very
' Once the roof slap ls finlshed, doors and wlndows are made and
installed.

The house owner takes pride in the appear-

ance of his newly built house. Wife and
children also cooperate.

Electr lclty and other servtces are provlded for lhe families in
the rural communities, especlally in the new aided self-help
projects.
 24

important since it is an attempt to make the whole f~parti.­

cipate actively and intensively in the completion Of its new house
and the elimination of the old one. The work begins with furnishing
advice to the families in selecting the colors to be used for
painting. The housing program supplies thepaint which the family
selects. The specialist tries to make the families learn how to
harmonize the colors and make the best combinations.

The work of the specialist has m any other important phases .

It is through her initiative and activity that the f amilies a r e
'\ oriented on how to irnprove the house and its surroundings, thus
creating a more pleasant environment for the farnily and the
community.
The specialist exerts the best efforts to train the families to
/
1
adopt good consumer practices within the limits of their income.
J - Thousands of e xamples may be c ited to prove the beneficia!
influence of the home improvement specialist on the way families
improve the furniture for their new houses, the interior and
exterior decoration, their living habits, etc., all leading to higher
material and non-materiallevels of living.

Finally, these sp~ialists are.entru§..t ~ith ~sk of orgqni~g

~ the activity wftlfWhich all housing proj ects clímax: the inaugural
ceremony of the project.

Inauguration of the Project

This term is used to denote the activities with which the project
is finished. These activities consist of a simple but significant
cerem ony in which all the f amilies in the project cel ebrate the
s uccessful comple tion of their houses. T~ act!:Yl.~ganized
through the initiative oL.the_gr oup _2f fa~ilies. Localleaders
and nelghbors are invited, also municipal authorities, and other
government officials including those of SPA.

/ Besides being a good incentive to the families, this activity

j t, ( furnishes a good educ ational m edium and serves as propaganda
for other families of the community and neighboring areas"l~
in favor of the Self-Help a nd Mutual Aid pl an.

The occasion als o serves the purpose of acquaintingthe municip al

a uthoritie s, l egi s lators and other governmental leade r s with the
p rogra m so that they b ecome aware of its g reat potenti alit i es.
,
It is also a simple for m of acknowl edging the work a nd the effort
of those famili es who have built new houses for themselves
'.J through c oope r ative action. 23/ It is , beside s, a good occasion
• ~'f for the head of the family and his wife to sign before a notary
 No housing project is considered finished
unless simple interior decorations and
improvements are c arried on by the fami -
l y with guidance by a borne improvement
agent.

The fln lshed house. Cost U.S. $350.00,

When the housing project ls flnished the whole communlty joins

in the celebration.
 25

public the document or promisory note for the debt on their houses.

Financing

It has been necessary to depart from the tradional credit sources

available at present in Puerto Rico to obtain adequate financing
for the housing projects under¡theSELF-HELP ANDMUTUALAID
PLAN. Factors such as the highly rural character of the program,
land tenancy, the amount per unit to be invested, the uncertainty
of the family income and its effect on the paying capacity, do not
offer attractive conditions to credit institutions. This situation
has forced the government to go into the field of credit and fi-
nancing of the housing projects. The State has accepted this
public responsibility of providing necessary funds to the families
without the financia! capacity to solve their housing problem.

Notwithstanding the fact that public policy is to provide for the

functioning of the program, there is, in addition, the policy of
creating a sense of responsibility and social dignity among the
families which impels them to refuse a donation. In this way,
government help is considered by the families as a loan. These
families accept their responsibility and agree to pay for the cost
of the materials and the use of the equipment. 24/ As stated
before, the financing of the housing program falls upon legislative
appropriations as well as on the family itself.

Participation of the Government

The participation of the government takes two forms: first,

providing guidance and tec hnical help (supe rvision, design of
plans, appeals before the Planning Board, centralized purchasing
s e rvices, etc.) and s econd, furnishing loans to the beneficiaries
amounting to the cost of the m ateri als and the use of the construc-
tion equipment. The technical help is considered p art of the
func tions of the agency, so the families do not pay for this . The
loan i s paid by the fa milies to the government in monthly install-
ments a mounting to about $2.75 They have a maximum of 10
years to cancel the debt without p ayment of interest. If the group
makes efficient use of the cooperative system, the house costs
around $350 per unit. This has been the experience until the

23/ See Appendix 11 - A copy of the Certificat e of Merit which

SPA grants the families that have finished s uccessfully
the housing project.

24/ See Appendix 12 Funds Assigned for the Operation of the

Program of Low Cost Housing.
 26

present. 25/

Participation of the Farnilies

The families participate in two forms, by providing the labor
without compensation, and by paying the expenses incurred during
construction.

Each family makes a down payment of $20.00 and pays $2.35

insurance against labor accidents which covers the participants
as well as any other persons who m ay be working in the construc-
tion of the houses. Summarizing, in the construction of these ( /
houses resources which have never been used are utilized and
a new concepJof C.!:!Lditwhichgives afaiJ_vatue to the only heritage V
of the worldng class - tlleirTabor - is created. The families
in this program have shoWñ'their moral credit to be of great
value. A recent analysis of the state of the debt shows that as of
June 30, 1959, the sum of $41,489.73hadbeen paid over and above
what should have been collected to that date. This means that the
famili es are anxious to liquidate their debt in compliance with the
word they have given in their gentleman 's agreement.

Savings Societies for the Construction of Houses

At the beginning of the housing program the familias were re-

quested to furnish a down payment as a prerequisite to the build-
ing of their houses. The interested neighbor himself kept the
money until t~e time of starting the project when he gave the
previously agr eed surn to an authorized official of the SPA. This
arrangem ent offe red som e difficulties: (1) those neighbors with-
out good s aving habits did not save enough money in time to be
eligible for the program; (2) the community sometimes suffered
the consequences of this situation since it is essential to have a
mínimum number of neighbors willing to accept the program.
By this , many were discouraged, giving rise to sorne resistance
J to organization of a future group; (3) it was impossible to deter-
mine on a specific date the amount of savings available in the
community. The willingness to save is one of the factors that
indicates the interest of the cornmunity in the program; (4) it
made difficult the organization of promotional cnmpaigns to
stimulate saving habits.

Besides the question of s avings, it was necessary to channel the

specific activities on housing through the families interested but
who lacked an adequate organization to do so.

25/ See Appendix 13 Average Cost of the Houses built from

1950-51 to 1958-59.
 27

The families themselves began to assign, spontaneously, certain

responsibilities to sorne members of the group. One or severa!
members assumed the promotion work; that of calling meetings,
of making contacts with other organizations in the community,
with officials and the offices of the SPA and with officials of the
government, as well as with any other person or prívate concern
that could cooperate. Another member took charge of collecting
tbe contributions of the neighbors. This function was often the
responsibility of the Citizens' Committee, the permanent organi-
zation which directs the activities of the community.

In this way, and as a consequence of the necessity and ingenuity

of the neighbors, the Savings Societies for the construction of
houses wer e organized.

Development of the Savings Societies

To provide the necessary l eadership, to systematize and to in-

crease the saving habits of the families, the SPA decided to foster
the organization of the Savings Societies. A general plan to
accomplish this purpose was developed, establishing the following
objectives:

(1) Gener al obj ective: to foster the savings habits as a m eans

of improving the conditions of housing in Puerto Rico.

(2) Im m ediate objectives:

a) t o encourage the f amilies to r aise the funds for construc -
tion by m e ans of individu al savings .
b) to continue s aving, once the houses ar e built, for the
purpose of maintaining them in good condition.
e) to continue s aving for the purpose of developing proj ects
t o improve the hous es such as: 1) construction of s imple
furniture , 2) manufacture of article s for the home s uch
as bedspreads, s hoe-racks , picture frames, curtains , et c .
d) to invest the savings in liqui dating the debt.

Organi zation and Operation

As soon as the families show interest in improving their housing

conditions and so inform the SPA, the process of guidance on
on the subject of savings begins. Through written communications
and the local offices of the agency , they are lectured on the ne-
cessity and convenience of organizing a Savings Society. They
learn how the Society is organized and how it functions.

This guidance is necessary to avoid the er rors of procedure

that might endanger the success of the project. As SPA officials
are not always on hand when the neighbors need guidance, pre-
 28

liminar y orientation helps them to ass ume the initial r esponsi-

bility and to s olve one of their most important problems.

The societies are organized with all inter ested families of the
community. They have a directing committee composed of three
m embers - - a pres ident , a s ecr et ar y, and a t r easurer -- and
it is usually called the "Housing Committee "·

Once the families have accepted the idea of the Savings Society
a meeting is held where information on the philosophy , principies ,
and purposes of the Society , its operation and other requirements,
duties and responsibilities are explained.
Savings are made systematically fr om the start. A procedure
for collecting and depositing the savings is adopted. As soon as
the directors ar e elected they choose a banking institution to
ope n a savings account for the society. The president, the secre-
t ary and the treasurer , with their s ignatur e , authorize the opening
of the account. The withdrawal offunds mus t be authorized jointly
by the s am e three m ember s .

Supervis ion
The Savings Societies are s upervis ed indir ectly from r eports
r ender ed by the director s , and by means of the discussion and
guidance meetings held periodically.

Direct s upervis ion takes pl ace when the savings accounts are
inspected, when the regularity of deposits is verified, and when
the saving r eceipts or depositors' r eceipts ar e being checked.

Achievem ents

Since 1956 when the Savings Soci eties were organized, the number
of societies has r em ained high. As soon as the projects are
complet ed and the function of the savings societies ceases in
s orne comm unitie s, other families are organizedinnewcommuni-
ties for the s ame purpose. The savings in the year 1955-56 a-
mounted to $44,06 1 from 2,288 members. In the year 1958-59
the s avings r ose to $64, 98 2.76 from 2, 640 members. In the last
years, due to better general conditions including better orientation
and education , the savings per capita have increased. 26/

T he total amount saved by these families adrls up to $1~ 1,212.81

and the expenditures to $2 ,224,8 10. 16 with which 7,886 houses
have already been built and 2,476 are under way. For tbe year

26/ See Appendix 14 , Savings Societies Organized, t:-tc.

 29

1958-59 the savings of the members in the savings societies

amounted to 7% of the total cost of construction in that yea r,
which was $875,000.

The cost of the work aiready is $2,224,810.16 which s um represents

only the investment of the government in the construction of
houses without including other items such as the value of the
work done by the families. lf these other items are taken into
consideration it is estimated that if the houses had been construc-
te d individually by prívate enterprise their value would have
been $1,300 each. On this basis the 7, 563 houses built represent
a total value of $9,831,910.

Notwithstanding the importance of those figures we should not

lose sight of the great importance of the s ocia l value of the Savings
Societies . They have been wonderful instruments in developing
leaders hip, fa ith and capacity among the ne ighbors who unde rtake
the projects and solve their proble ms in common.

EXAMPLES OF MUTUAL AID IN

HOUSING CONSTRUCTION IN URBAN AREAS

The experience acquired in the construction of houses in the

rura l zones has been applied to the urban zones with great success,
notwiths tanding the f act that the problems of housing in these
zones are more complex. Economical forces, the emigration
to urb an centers, the thousands of families who live in slums,
the shortage of la nd, the amount of funds nee ded to solve the
probl e m, increase the difficulty. Nevertheless, the government
has made extr aordinary efforts towa r ds its solution.

The Project of Hoare F amilies

When the renewal of the slum known as Hoare in Santurce b€gan

in 195 6, 35 f amilies agreed to develop a hous ing project using
mutual aid methods.
This project presents a good exampl e of inte ragency coordination,
The forme r San Juan Housing Authority whic h today forms part
of the Puerto Rico Urban Renewal and Hous ing Corporation, made
the necessary arrangements so that the money which these families
would receive as payment for clearance of their old s hacks would
be use d to pay for the materials going into the constructíon of
their houses.

The Puerto Rico Housing Authority sold the lots to each one of
those 35 families, to be paidfor in installments of $7.00 per month
 30

during a period of 20 years, with no inte r est charged. The price

of each lot of approximately 2130 squ ar e mete rs , was $1,250.
The SPA concentrated its attention on ori ent ation, technical
guidance, and construction of the houses.

After intense training the families furnished the l abor without

compensation. They paid the money to cove r the total cost of
the house, which was $1,192.10. This urban house has dime nsions
of 20 feet (6.10 meters) by 30 feet (9.15 meters). It has a porch 1
living-dining room, kitchen, bathroom and three ·bedrooms. It
includes water and sewer lines for flush t oilet , lavatory and
kitchen sink, but not the fixtures.
The project is considered a great s uccess for the Self- Help and
Mutual Aid technique. The houses were built in 18 weeks. The
35 roen working on the project construc ted each with 1,115.07
hours of work. Considering the work of the foreman and other
details, each house represents 1,2:>7 man- hours of l abor. If
labor is estimated at 75 cents per hour its total cost amounts
to $959.25 per house. Thus the total cost of the house is esti-
m ated at $6,000. Deducting the cost of the lot, and the sanitary
and electrical fixtures ($1,250 and $500 respectively) it is evident
that the net cost of labor, in their coll ective organized effort,
is $4,250. Obviously, families with such limited economic re-
sources would never have been able to acquir e a house of this
type, except by applying Self-Help and Mutual Aid methods.

The work' realized by these families s hows that part of the

problem of slum elimination in Puerto Rico could be s uccessfully
solved by displaced families using Mutual Aid methods, if duly
oriented and if the lots were made available .

Mínimum Facilities Lot Developments

Anothe r experiment in solving the hous ing problem in the urban

a r e a has been through the c r eation of the Program of Minimum
Facilities Lot Developments to r elocate those families from the
s lums , who for special reasons, do not qunlify for public housing.
The Mínimum Facilities Lot Developments are designed for urban
de vel opment following the rules and regulattons of the Plannfng
Board. Nevertheless, for reasons of economy nncl due to the need
of accomplishing prompt sol utions, these projects are not provided
with streets nor sewerage systems. Water servtcc is prov1ded
by means of public faucets and elect ric lfghting is provtded in
t he streets.271 The lots measure approximately 300 square

271 The Program of Minimum F acilities l ots was started by

the SPA in 1953. On March 1, 1953, by legislative action, lt was
trangfe rred to CRUV.
 31

meters. By June 30, 1959, twenty- nine projects of this type had
been established. about 5,468 families owned a lot in usufruct.
There are plans to develop a total of 9,000 lots be tween 1960
and 1966.

Applying the principies of Self-Help and Mutual Aid, the SPA has
developed a total of 14 housing projects in Mínimum Facilities
Lot Developments. By the 31 of December 1959, 597 houses had
been completed and 29 houses were in construction, for a total
of 626 units.

During the last three years there has developed an interesting

program on the construction of cooperative housing projects.
The educational and organizational work has been developed by
the Bureau of Cooperative Housing of the Cooperative Develop-
ment Administration. This program consists of directing and
developing groups offamilies in the urban areas who are interested
in solving their housingproblem in a cooperativeform. At present
there a re 22 cooperatives with 2, 711 m embers in the program.
As of July 31, 1959 they contributed $829, 097.93 to be eligible for
participation in the program of cooperative houses and lots. The
estimated cost of the completed work is $6,7 40, 150. It is im-
portant to note that the project, the lots as well as the houses,
is financed by the families themselves from prívate cr edit
sources. The only investment by the government consists of
the cost of tec hnical advice, orientation, preparation of plans,
and advice on planning, rules and regulations, etc.The Program
of the Bureau of Cooperative Housing is e xpected to fill an im-
portant place in the overall program for the solution of the
housing problem in Puerto Rico.

Public Housing Projects

The most intensive approach to the housing problem in urban

areas has been through the program of slum elimination carried
out by the Housing Authority, known today as CRUV. As of June
30 1959, at l east 20,397 apartments in public proj ects (Fede ral
and Commonwealth) have been provided - mainly for families
removed from slum areas - in 50 towns of the Isl and. A total
of 4,57 6 apartme nts ha ve been planned for 1960 - 61, and 5, 194
for 1961-62. Although this program is neither definite nor perma-
nent, as a solution to the proble m, it is evident from the figures
given that for the moment it offe rs to the families in the s lums
an advantageous sol ution. Only because of this point of vi ew
the public housing progra m is included in this section. It is hoped
that later on t he residents in public housing projects will be
gi ve n the opportunity of sol ving their housing proble m permanently,
through a program in which the sys te m of Mutual Aid will occupy
a pl ace of p r eference.
 32

Although the above discussion m ay appear to digress from the

main subject, it is submitted for the purpose of showing the
prominent plac e which Self-Help and Mutual Aid methods should
and will have, undoubtedly, in the s olution of the hous ing problem
in the urban areas. The experiences obtained in t he rural zones
were extended to the urban area with successful r esults. No
case presented obstacles that could not be surmounted.

The scope and complexity of the housing problem in the urban

are as leaves no other alternative but to ut ilize all means available
to salve it. Self-Help and Mutual Aid occupy a prominent place
in the fight against slums, against inadequate housing, agains t
overcrowding and against low standards of living.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AIMS AND PROJECT I ONS ¿_

T.

The housing program which began in November 1949, a s a pilot

experiment of 12 units has been extended over the entire island,
covering all the municipalities, with project s in the rural zones
and in the urban areas.

By December 31, 1959, no fewe r than 7,886 units had been com-
pleted and 2,47 6 units were under way. Recently, a simple ce-
r emony of gr.eat significance for the housing program was cele-
brated in a planned rural community in the interior of the Island.
On this occasion the cornerstone was laid for house number
~ 000 built unde r the method of mutual aid and self-help.

Among the achievem ents of the program, it should be noted that

with a mínimum of investment by the government, it has been
feasible to salve the housing problem of thousands of fam.ilies /
with the use of human resources that otherwise would have been
lost . The hous ing pr ogram has served also as a stimulus to
awaken in many families an interest and a desire to follow the
l ead of other s in the r ural communit ies, who have improved their
houses by their own initiat ive.

Another significant achi evement of the housing program has been

the advancement of greater s oci al integration within the com-
m unities and the creation of a greater cohesiveness among the
f amilies.

The accomplishments of the government in solving the problem

in the rural areas have been very encouraging. The condition of
"agrego " of mor e than fifty thousand rural families has been
eliminated. This is equivalent to a 75% solution of the problem.
It is expected that by 1964 sufficient lots will have been provided
 33

When the ground was broken fo r house number 10.000 under the aided self-help 1
program an impress ive c e remony was held. Photo shows the owners of the house which
was already under construction.

for each rural "agregado " to own a lot. Evidently, this is only
the beginning of the solution to the housingproblem, but a beginning
the s uccess of which is already proven.
1f the present policy of the government towards the housing prob-
lem continues (and there is no reason to expect otherwise) the
practice and syst em of mutual aid and self- help will continue
to expand, P l ans are already being evolved to advance the goals
and to begin the construction of 4,000 units in 1960-61, and 5,000
units in the following year. 1f there are no interruptions, it may
be expect ed that by 1963 a total of 22,000 houses will have been
built under the plan of mutual aid and self- help in the rural areas.

In conclusion, it may be stated without fear of being too optimistic

that the system of mutual aid and self-help is today one of the
best, if not the best, approaches to the solution of the housing
problem in Puerto Rico.
PUERTO RICO APPENOIX 1

ATLANT1C OCE AN

"'o

_.. M.micipa l Boundary

Rural Community Established
•
CARIBBEAN SEA 8 Rural Convnunity Enlarged
 APPENDIX 2

Typical design of a Planned Rural Community

LEOEND
1 CHURCH
2 SctfOOL
a SCHOOL LUNCH ROON
4 CON&:UNER9 COOPe: AATI VE
~ POLICE S TI\ TI OII (rUTURE)
O BUSINESS ARf:A (FU T URC)

SUU.R CAN[
PLANTATION

WETlA$ &CALE

~----=:-;e-= ~
=--:..;;;:::::== =-

rr-
COMMUHITY PASTURE ~

~
OAIPC't fARM

y.l' ~ ~~1¡..~
fi'
1...0/' SUOAA CAHE ~~~
~--......;;: 1 1
1j'( SUGAR CAJi[ PLAHTATION
PLAN TATION ~~ ~

•
OA ALTA
~

L AY OUT OF RURAL COMMUNITY SAN JOSE ,TOA ALTA, PUERTO RICO

 APPENDI X 3

RURA L HOUS E FLOOR PLAN

9'- B" s'- 7 "

t
>-
>
o l'co
::::.. f---
..,
·' ·a-.,
-nJ

- ,__
•\S
..Cb BEDROOM
:
g'- ló '' 0\
4-" s'- "' ..
U)
o¡
o
.
V 1 ..
Ll VING
,
DI N 1 N G --.:t-
~ ;
V
-~ ~ 1
Q)
'2.-9-
-• -
\9
11'1
.N,
~
ROO M
---' -
~
- ....__
'o _, BEDROOM •lt'l -f--
-,,., I Q) 1

1"\J

.,
•
- 1
N

.,o,
z•- S " t 3 '-o t 2 '-9 "
'o
·('O'
....,. PORCH
..
1 .. 3'-1

~
1
"3 - 1 3'- o "
•
··-·~~
a '- a " 1
T
18'-o"

A REA 352 SQ. FT .

SCALE '/4"•1'·0•
 APPENDJX 4

Building Cost of Typical 181 x ~8 1 House

Descri pti on : Q uan t .: Aprox . .: C os t per house

: : unit price
Moteriols:

Cement . l OObgs: $ 1.00 $ 100.00

Grave ! or crushed stone : 16c .m .: 2 . 75 44 . 00

Sond . . . , . . . . . lOc. m.: 1.25 12.50

Door & Window Frames 1 wood 1 :

reodyout 1 unassembl ed . . . : 82. 89 : O. 10 8.29
: BFM :
Nai ls . . . . . . . . . . : 2.51b.: 0.09 .23

Steel Nails . . . . . . . 0 . 5lb.: O. 18 . 09

Fuel & Lubricants for mixe r .92

Stockroom Suppl i es:

Re i nforci ng stee 1 bars : 9 .35 6.83 63.89

cwt.
Elec tri e Outlet Boxes 5 .17 .85

Electric Conduit 1/2"x 10• 2 .84 1.68

Foste ning Wire 1 1 ]6 . 15lb. . 09 1.35

House Poi nt 1 Po 1y vi ni 1 : 5go l. 2.37 11. 85

Use o f Equip. & Fac iliti es

Use of Concre te Forms . 30 . 00

Tru c king Charges . . . 25.00
Use of Concrete Mixer . 6.25
Use of Wheelborrows . • . . 1.00
Ste e l bar c utting charges . . 5.43
Use o f Buckets . 1.25
Use of Shovel s . . . . . . . 20
Use af Wrenche s . . . • • . 23
TOTAL COST per HOUSE : $ 350 . 5 1
 APPENDIX 5

EXPLORIN G THE C O MMUN ITY

Foc tors to be conside red in determi ning t he possibil it ies of o communi ty for a Housing Progrom .

l. Commun ity Town

2. Dote of settlement

3 . Woys of occess

4 . Topogrophy

5 . Number of fomi li es in t he community

6. Numbe r of lots

7 . G e ne ral condition of t he dwel ling

8 . Sources o f mote ri o ls:

Sond

G ro ve l

9 . Publ ic Fa c i lit ies:

Electri c ity

Sc hoo l

Te le phone

O t he rs

10 . C iti ze nshi p Committee:

Neme Addren

Pres .

Vice- Pre s .

Se e .

Treos .

Members
 APPEN DIX 5 page 2

11. Warking apportuni ti es

--------------------------------------------

12. Brief history of communal octivities (coaperotives, schoo ls, communa l cente r etc . )

13. O bservotions:

14. Recommendotions:

Date Signature
 APPENDIX 6

THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

Puerto Rico has limited economic resources and plenty of people.

Thi s is known fact to ever y Puerto Ri can and especially to the
140,000 unemployed we had befare the sugar canegrinding season
of 195 1. Any endeavor towards the utilization of these resources
constitutes a valuable contribution in the solution of our serious
problems . Particularly, of great interest is the utilization of
these unemployed r esources in providing such public services
and facilities which norm ally would be provided by the govern-
ment but which due to the li mited economic resources will take
many years befar e the government can provide them to everybody.

There are in Puerto Rico approximately 100,000 rural families

in need of adequate homes. The solution to a problem of this
magnitude,following the tradltional construction techniques seems
practically impossible for a country with our limited economic
resources. At a minimurn cost of $4,000 per unit, which is the
mínimum cost in the urban ar eas , more than 400 million dollars
are needed to salve our rural housing problem. It is obvious
that Puerto Rico cannot incur such enormous expenditures.

Up to April 1959, the Social Programa Administration of the

Department of Agriculture and Commerce, had established 289
rural communities where more than 49,000 families have been
settled. These famili es are primarily farm laborers lacking
the money to build an adequate home . You are one of these people;
you know the real s ituation.

The l ack of an adequate home is not the only problem o! the Puerto
Rican peasant. The r e ar e other problems such as the la<'-k o!
streets and roads, the lack of a pure water supply, the lack of
milk stations, community centers, health centers, classrot">rns,
school lunchrooms, parks and recreation centcrs. All thes
things are very necessary.
Finding an answer to these problems of the whole fsland is one
of the government 's main undertakings. In the solution of thes •
problems all Puerto Ricans have a part, all of us have a r le to
play. You, too, don 't forget it.

All the families living in the rural communltit'S m~tabllsh d by

the Social Programs Administration of tho Departmc.nt of gri-
eulture are participating in the solution to the~e problems through
the Community Action Plan.

The Community Action Plan is based on the princlple that the

 APPENDIX 6 page 2

families of our rural areas have the disposition, the courage

and the determination necessary to start direct act ion and to
belp face their own problems either by individual acti~n or by
group action. The Community Action Plan is giving social s ig-
./
nificance to the Christian principie of self-help and mutual aid.

The Community Action Plan is based on the study and disc ussion
of the necessities and problems of all the families in the com-
munity. Once these problems and necessities are studi es their
solution is planned by the families r elying on their own 'effort
1 and tbe cooperation which might be obtained from the municipaJ
government and other agencies of the insular government. The
purpose is to organize all the r sources and concentrate on one
objective the solution of the pressingproblem s of our rural areas .

Many projects have been carried out under this plan. Among
these, the construction of streets and roads , the drilling of deep
wells, the construction of milk stations and community centers ,
sewing centers , and especially the construction of low cost houses .
In all these projects, the families have provided part of the con-
struction materials and all the labor without cost to the govern-
ment. The municipal government and the insular government
have provided part of the constr uction m.aterials plus the equip-
ment necessary for carrying on the proJect. In this way, com-
bining the efforts of the families and government, many services
have been provided which otherwise woul d have taken many years
to be accomplished.

The Social Programs Administration has faith in our rural f arm

workers. We know that once the rural families are or ganized
wtth a common objective : once they p articipate in the discussion
and formulation of the plans and are r eady to contribute with
all their resources, the problems which are now so overwhelming
will be under their control and will be solved.

All the rural families of the Island are welcomed to join the
ranks of this new legion of men upon whose s houlders the respon-
sibility of attaining through their own efforts, better standards
of living and the total betterment of the community will rest.
 APPENDIX 7

INVESTIGATION FOR RURAL HOUSTilG PROGRAH

General information:
Rural coamunit:r.,......_ _ _ _ _ _ _ Municipalit:y_ _ _ _ _ _ _-=-~-:: Lot No.
Hue of candidate Read? Write? ·----
Mame of rife Read? Write?
Ma.rita1 status - - - - - Religi.on - - - - - - - - - Age - - - - - - - -
Occupation ~~~------------~-~~
ltiDd of work he does Pbysical. di.sabil.ity
Length of time of residence in the cOIIIIIUI1it;y ---------

F..Uy infor.ation:
Nu.ber of meabers in the family Children under 18 :years._ _ _ __
Over 18 :yeara lb• man:y of tbese are working?
Do otheJ;' persona live permanentl:y in the family? -------
Explain:
lbw ~ of these latter persona are tJOrking? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

~:

lb• ~~aey
.anths per year does applicant work at bis principal occupation?_ _ _ _ __
Bow ~days per ~k does he work?____________ Daily •age 1______
Wee~ 1 Honthl:y 1
Other income and its source ____::._-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-:_-------------------

Inforu.tion on tbe dwell.in&:

Size ~.,....--...,.---- General condition - - - - Approxiaate value 1.,..._ _ __

Deacription: nooor Parti.tions Porch Roof
Cei.ling ROOM ----
Re8arks on app1icant •s socia1 and -.,ral standing (relations rith famlies in the
c~t:y 1 1eadership1 1IOrit done for tbe c~t:y, liabi.ts, gtoupil to wbich be - ...:L-
belml6a1 etc.) . ·rn
eooperation and contribution to tbe Prograa:

Atti.tude togard ~ve.ent of the c~t:y - - - - -- ---------------------

Bow ~ housing .eeting& have you.. atteoded? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Wbere rill :you obtain tbe down ~nt?
Can JOU piQ' tbe S20? What tl0u1d~':"":'be-~the'""-110at~.--JOU--CO-u1d"="='-PB1--a5~t~be-ini~-~t~i..,al
.....
~nt?
11hat déqs-o~f:-.::t~be~oe~ek~d~o---you....,..,pr~e'='re"'"r--:-t-o-uo~rk~?-:(r;Fro.~~Mond::-""":-11.7"-::to.....,Fri.da7;:--:r-;-'""T')- - -----

Debta - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
a...rics aud rec~ndati.ons:

Date Sianature of Interri.ewer

.Q
 APPENDIX 8

LOW-COST RURAL HOUSING PROGRAM

SELECTING THE CANDIDATESr ·- ·-

In or der to determine the eligibility of the candidates interested

in the Low-Cost Rural Housing.Program, a careful investigatipn
is made of each prospective candidate. · Each family is visited
at home and a written report is submitted to the Social Programs
Administration. T Ws r eport contains valuable information about
the living conditions , ecbnomic r esources ,_ number of people in
the family, attituO.e of t he candidate towards the physical im-
provement of the community and other data necessary for the
study of each case. The report is made by a trained Social Worker
with the cooperation of the local Social Programs Administration
Supervisor.

After all the investigations are made, a cornmittee of the Social

Programs Adm1n1stration composed of the Executive Director,
the Head of the Housing Bureau and the Hous ing Planner studies
all candidates that might qualify and selcet s those who are most
likely to succeed according to existing st andards . The officials
of the Social Programa Administration pl ace great emphasis
on the selection of candidates, as the s uccess of the project is
dependent on the participants.

Candidates are selected among the many inter ested families to

form an initial group of not l ess t han 30 households . In thi s way
each household provides one man-day each week based on a s ix
man working team required by the cons truction m ethods and
materials used.

To qualify a candidate must satis fy the following qualifications:

He must:

1. Be the head of a family.

2. Live with his wife and children on a l ot covered by Title V

of the Land Act .

3. Have a house in bad condition.

4. Have cooperative ideals and a record of cooperating with

bis neighbors in community improvement.

5. Be honorable and have a reputation as a good worker .

6. Be of good conduct.

7. Be physically and mentally healthy and able to do the type

 APPENDIX 8 p age 2

of work required.

8. Have a desire to learn; the construction of concrete houses

is new work for the l ar ger part of the rural families.

9. Have the desire to improve his living standa rds through

his o~ efforts.

10. Have the financia! resources to pay the debt that he will
corítract in building the house.

11. Be an active member of the Savings Society.

12. Be an active participant in community improvement ac-
tivities.

13. Be a man who can be trusted on his word. (This is nece-

ssary as he is not bound by a written contract.)

14. Agree to tear do~ the present house(when the new one
is completed) and to construct the kitchen, doors and windows
of the new house from the reusable material. (This is to
prevent any atte mpt to h ave two houses on a lot.)

15. Agree to work on the days stipulated until the c ompletion

of the proj ect.

16. Agree to make the first half of the down payment at the
beginning of the construction of the concrete building blocks
and the second half when the roof is completed.

17. Be willing to abide' by the rules of the program.

18. Agree to take good car e of the construction m ateri als

used in the work.

19. Attend all the meetings held on the proj ect; if this i s not
poss ible , his wife must attend in his s t ead.
 APPENDIX 9

Mr. _____________________________

---------------------Community

----------------------- , Puerto Rico

Dear Sir:-

The Low Cost Housing Program of the Social Programs Ad-

ministration, takes pleasure in advis ing you that you have been
selected as a member of the group of families chosen to build
their houses In this community.

As already stated, the selection is subject to your compliance

with the duties and responsibilities as follows:

1- Personal and punctual attendance to your work schedule

and extra hours, of your choosing, in group organization.

2- Befare the roof slab ts poured, all walls must be free

from defective spots.

3- Make and install doors and wlndows upon termination of

of the house •

./ 4- Once the new house is built, the old one mus t be torn down.

5- Not to build concrete or block extenstons to the new house

without the previous authorization of the Social Programs
Administration or other governmental agency concerned.

6- Make punctual monthly payments until full settlement of

the indebtedness.

7- To comply with and be bound by any decision concerning

any violation of the rules and regulations that govern the
Low Cost Housing Program and particularly those of the
Social Programa Ad.ministration.
Needless to say that failure to comply with any of the foregoing
duties and responsibilitles, or for just cause, toward this Program
shall constitute sufficient ground for your separation from the
housfng project.

Let me congratulate you for the opportunity granted to you, and,

let me add, we expect you to reciprocate, in a similar way, the
confidence we have just placed in you.
Ver y truly yours,
P.B.VAZQUEZCALCERRADA
Executive Director
 APPENDIX 10

BUILDING MATERIAL$ REQUIRED FOR A TYPICAL DWELLING 18' x 18'

: Found . : Roof
Meteríai s : Footi ng Walls ~ Fioor Walls : Slab Totals

Cement {bags) 8 13 12 42 25 100

at S1 . 00 $ 8.00: $13.00 :$12.00: $42 . 00: $25 . 00 : $100 . 00

Sand (Cu . Meters) 2 1 1 3 3 10

at S 1.25 2.50: 1.25 1.25: 3.75 3.75 12.50

Grovel (Cu . Meters ) 2 2 2 : 6 4 16

at $2.75 5.50: 5 .50 5.50 : 16 . 50 11. 00 : 44 . 00

1/4" Re inforcing Stee l 0 .5 0.3 o 1.2 0.4 2.4

o t$6 . 83c wt. 3.42 2 . 05 o 8 .20 2 . 73 16. 40

3/8" Rein forc ing Stee l o 1.30 o 3 . 25 2 .40 6.95

ot $6 . 83 cwt . o 8 . 88 o : 22 . 20 16 . 39 47 .47

Foste ni ng Wi re 1 2 o 8 5 16
ot S . 09 lb. 0 . 09 0 . 18 o 0 . 72 0.45 1.44

Elec tric Conduit (e oc h) o o o 2 o 2

ot S. 84 o o o 1.68 o 1. 68

Elec tri e Out let Boxes (eoc h) o o o o 5 5

ot $0.17 o o o o . 85 . 85

Door & Wi ndow Fromes o o o 86 o 86

at $0.10 BFM o o o 8 .60 o 8 .60

TO TALS : S19.5 1 : $30.86 : $187 5:$103 . 65: $60 . 17 : $232.94

PERCENT 8% 13% 8% 45% 26% 100%

 ESTADO UBRE ASOCIADO DE PUEilTO RUCO

. ~t~iótt s~~-,, r~Jlrluna!r ~

~~\'0..\~ , ::· _ . ~oc¡ttle
~' ,'l¡¡ ,t
J~ 4- § el •
'f' ~<I!Dtp1mamenuc ~e ~~raeultu¡·a ~ ~mer~ttó ~ ~
-{~ ll[3'i1Q[I[)~JA~~ <t\OOI:i}- }>
..,
..,
m
z
~, pahfe d el o-tu~ de .fl~-:P.·_ , l111J! C01t),(WIIPWfl ¿Juj o
X
~~ 'ená~ ck ~i:e~atfq~ ~&Wenurde c4yuáa
~Ül ~ ~utua en ea dd JJaMitl' de
-D~o- lb áiieccitin ele ~ de ~a cj&rnitú~fi'AciÓil eS~ ~r49fant~
~dale~ • .f~a ~5múru$'to·.adón óe 3Pa~ram~ ~daft~ fe {a!ililii
tb:s male.UafeJ de ~ en chfidaó dE :J>~ y leJ pitW~
tUiJ/encia técnica y ~ . olaJ f_a.mifioJ p uwepeMn mllntY ea
· c~e o!J~a .iúz ~citin al9una en fa eonit:Aua:ibn de .fui flirrient!o;.
cfn iectlllOCimie.rtfD- alJaeü/l:cio- y e&/ueA.J.tr pei&Mafpo2a fler¡Q4
a fefh:.~~eitin eJh p-iti!Jec/o; n oJ Ctm1p{acem(}J en ofbi!Ja~ eJie
11
vtrt~ft~~Jl·~· . .
·~~~~- ~ J.!Nt.¿f{fiti ~e~y.~:~:~~-~ : ~} ~i~· ·h · -~~k .¡~·

SECR ETA RIO DE AGRICULTUR A Y CO MERCIO DI 11 E"CTOI1 I'JECUTIVO

 APPENDIX 12

Appro pri otion of fun ds for the deve lopment of lo w cost housing
1949 - 1958
: Regu l a r : Emergency Special Do nations
Year : Appropriation : Appropriation Appropr iatio n
. .
1949 ; $1 o1000.00 ;

1950 161315 . 44:

1951 . $ 401 000

1952 100,000

1953 300,000

1954 400,000 331374 .50 :

1955 400,000 53,674.67 : 401000

1956 500,000 : 3691275.50 : : $661 130 . 00 ~

1957 200,000 ; 1:
1958 875,000

:2 ,8151000 :422,950.1 7 99,689.94 66,130.00

'
G RAND TOTAL . . . . . . $3,403, 770 . 11
 APPEN DIX 13

AVERAGE COST OF THE DWELLINGS CONSTRUCTED FROM

1950-51 to 1958-59
Ye ar Average cost per un it

1950-51 $ 308.00 *
1951-52 328 . 33 *
1952- 53 323.31 *
1953-54 308.28 **
1954-55 299.37
1955-56 320.29
1956-57 330.65
1957-58 342.49
1958-59 349. 11

---------------------------------------------------------

* Concrete blocks we r e used during these year s .

** Since 1953 and thereafter. the reinfo ~ced conc r ete building
system was adopted. Th1s change m construction method
res ulted in a systematic decrease in cost s. Neve r thel ess
inc r easecl salaries and rises in costs of mate rial and equip~
m ent are reflec ted in the fin al cost per dwe lling.
 APPENDIX 14

SAVINGS SOCIETIES ORGANIZED FROM 1955 to 1959

Societies
Year :' Soci e ti es .. Members . In . Members .. Savings
Projects
. ..
1955-56 : 75 .. 3,843 .. 39 . 2,288 : $49,061.86
.. .. .. ..
1956-57 : 45 : 1,569 .. 35 .. 1,321 . 38,604 . 75
. .. .. .
1957-58 : 65 : 3,064 . 31 .. 1,314 .. 28,613 .44
.. . .. .. ..
1958-59 : 75 : 2,345 .. 63 .. 2,640 .. 64,982.76
..
Totals .. 260 : 10,821 . 168 .. 7,563 : $181 ,262.8 1 :

- -- - -- · -
 APPENDIX 15

SAVINGS SOCIETIES ANO TOTAL COST OF

THE PROJECTS 1955- 1959

Savings Societies : Cost of Total

Year : No. of : Number of
Anount Numbe of
: Societies : Families Dwellings

1955-56 39 : $49,06 1.86: 2, 288 $446,652 . 23

1956- 57 35 38, 604.75 : 1' 32 1 46 1, 207 .18

1957-58 31 28,613.44 : 1' 31 4 44 1,850 .75

1958-59 63 64,982.76 : 2,640 875 ,000.00

: TOTALS 168 :$181, 262.81: 7,563 $2 , 224 , 8 10 . 16