| Low-income residents of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, will gain access to information and technical assistance through a new Community-Building Information Technology Center that the University of Puerto Rico and its community partners are planning to establish in the city's urban center. The center, part of a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization program, will be housed in a former vacant building that the university acquired and rehabilitated.
While Rio Piedras has been affected by the flight of residents to the suburbs, it remains an important transportation hub, visited by more than 100,000 people daily. Socioeconomic distress characterizes the city, where 70 percent of residents live in poverty. Unemployment is three times the national average.
The Community-Building Information Technology Center will provide residents with access to University library resources, particularly those relating to technology. It also will provide information on safe housing options, and resources for training and job opportunities. Business owners and potential owners will receive technical assistance at the center, through job readiness programs for prospective employees, micro-loan programs, and training to improve or expand their businesses. The center also will offer architectural design and assessment services for organizations and companies interested in low-income housing and business development.
Most center services will be provided through matching funds from the university's local government partners. The Legislature of the Government of Puerto Rico has committed $300,000 to the project through a special appropriation and the Corporation for the Economic Development of San Juan has committed an additional $20,000 in in-kind services.
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