A Maybe-Veep Pops Into Fair Haven

Peppered with questions, a leading contender to run for vice-president vowed that the federal government will help Puerto Rico emerge from its financial crisis, but added that meeting the housing needs of those who leave that island for the mainland might be a tougher problem to tackle.

The possible Democratic vice-presidential candidate, Julian Castro, wasn’t answering questions from a pack of reporters on the campaign trail. At least not yet.

He fielded the questions from local Latino leaders gathered at Christopher Columbus Family Academy in New Haven’s Fair Haven neighborhood. In the company of the state’s two U.S. senators, Castro was visiting town in his capacity as secretary of the the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Joseph Rodriguez, chairman of the Connecticut Hispanic Democratic Caucus and legislative liaison to Mayor Toni Harp, asked the first question: Can the White House take any further steps, whether by executive action or through a task force, to help Puerto Rico? The island is facing economic collapse, but Congress made no significant moves to stop that collapse before it left D.C. in December.

Castro called the dire financial situation facing Puerto Rico ​“a prime concern of the administration.” He said the Obama administration fully supports a legislative fix that would allow Puerto Rico to restructure its debt and provide bankruptcy protection.

“It’s unfortunate that that doesn’t already exist,” he said. ​“But the silver lining is that there was a commitment to address this so I believe that that will work in Puerto Rico’s favor. They know that in this important year, that this is under the microscope. I have confidence that it will be addressed. I do believe that ultimately we’re going to have a legislative fix to this. What does it look like? I don’t think any of us know right now.”

Ingrid Alvarez, Connecticut state director for the Hispanic Federation, asked about the estimated 1,000 Puerto Rican families leaving the island every month and landing in Orlando, Florida, en route to other U.S. cities.

Given that Connecticut has the sixth highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the country, she asked what Castro and HUD are doing to try to house them. ​“When you make connectors and when you talk about people and families, Orlando and Connecticut are not that far apart,” she said.

Castro said he has been reading up on the influx of people from Puerto Rico and grappling with the question of how to help people get housing. ​“The straightforward answer is that there is no easy way to address that,” he said. Castro said HUD’s method for doling out federal housing funds — mostly community block development grants — is based on a formula that doesn’t do well capturing rapid increases in population. It relies on the decennial census.

“In one sense, any place with a population growing that rapidly, we’re always behind,” he said. ​“We look at for instance giving localities extra authority to work with their [housing rental] vouchers, because often times when you get an influx of people the rents start to go up because of the demand. We’ve seen this in a number of places and give waivers that allow these localities to work with vouchers. We also ask that they prioritize families that are homeless and urgently need assistance living.”

Castro said that his department also is working with the National Housing Trust to provide a small amount of additional resources for housing.

“The amount of resources coming out of Washington is not keeping up with demand,” he said. ​“I wish that I could paint a rosy scenario. I can’t honestly do that. We continue to try to meet those needs and serve the people that are neediest and we try to do the best that we can.”

The question on everyone’s mind was finally broached by New Haven mayoral Chief of Staff Tomas Reyes: ​“Let me address the big $64,000 question here Mr. Secretary. I just want to ask you very plain and simply are you going to be the Democratic nominee for…” The room erupted in applause before Reyes could say vice president.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal stepped in to respond.

“As your lawyer here,” he quipped with a laugh, ​“you have the right to exercise silence.”

Then Castro, facing the question he has been hearing for weeks, and will probably continue to hear for months, as both major parties strategize for how to capture the crucial Latino vote in this year’s presidential election, added with a laugh, ​“I’m going to exercise my right to remain silent.”