Eunice Cruz, with son-in-law Joel Espinosa, works in her garage Friday to prepare to move from Orlando back to Puerto Rico. (GARY W. GREEN, ORLANDO SENTINEL / September 4, 2009)
Jeannette Rivera-Lyles
Sentinel Staff Writer
September 7, 2009
After 13 years in Central Florida, Eunice and Miguel Cruz are packing up their Orlando house to go back to their native Puerto Rico. They are sad to go, the Cruzes say. This is where they raised a blended family of seven kids, founded a business and had their first grandchild. But the recession has hit them hard. Facing the loss of a business and a drained savings account, the Cruzes have decided the island offers their best chance to get back on their feet.
"If we're going to have a hard time, we'd rather be close to the family," Eunice Cruz said.
To weather the economic storm that has left many Central Floridians jobless, many Puerto Ricans are seeking refuge at home. It's not that the situation on the island is any better. But cultural nuances, such as strong family ties that provide a safety net, and a potentially lower cost of living, make it easier to endure hard times.
The Cruzes' ordeal began a year ago when Eunice lost her job at a car dealership. During the nine months she was unemployed, the family went through savings. Just as she was able to secure a job, Miguel was given a 45-day notice to vacate the building that houses his mechanic shop. It had been sold.
"I tried to relocate the shop," Cruz said. "But no bank would give me a small loan. My credit is good. But they are just not lending."
The Cruzes plan to live with a grown son in Fajardo until they can rent a house. Miguel, who has a degree in education, plans to teach auto mechanics.
They know there is no guarantee they'll get jobs there. Chances are, they'll make less money. But the Cruzes believe that having their families' support will also make life less stressful.
"We just want to be at peace," Eunice Cruz said.
Island also struggles
Hiram Rodriguez is the owner of La Rosa del Monte Express, an Orlando moving company that specializes in moving Floridians to and from Puerto Rico.
In the past two years, as the economy took a dive, Rodriguez's business climbed. The moves back to the island went from an average of 100 families a month in 2007 to an average of 160 a month so far this year. Meanwhile, the moves to Central Florida from the island dropped by half.
"We hear the same thing over and over [from the clients]," Rodriguez said. "It's the economy, the economy, the economy."
Life in Puerto Rico for the average family is far from idyllic. Unemployment is at 16.5 percent, the highest of all U.S. jurisdictions. Its debilitated economy reached recession levels a year earlier than on the mainland.
The cost of living in the San Juan metro area is high. According to a 2008 Coldwell Banker Real Estate report, the average price of a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home there is $329,750. But on the rest of the island, it is still possible to rent an apartment for $400 a month or a small home for $600 a month.
Temporary refuge?
Many returning to the island hope they'll be able to come back to Central Florida when the economy improves.
Sylvia Roig, a 38-year-old single mom, lived in Buenaventura Lakes for nine years. An accountant, she became a mortgage broker six years ago in order to work from home and spend more time with her two young children.
When the housing market went bust, she struggled to keep a roof over their head.
In April, Roig rented out her BVL home and moved in with her 84-year-old grandmother, who lived alone in her three-bedroom home in Arecibo. She's been freelancing as an accountant and has started a home-based cake-making business. She wants to return to Central Florida if things here improve.
"Schools are better [in Central Florida] than here, government agencies are not so chaotic and crime is not such a big worry," Roig said. "But right now, it's about keeping our heads above water."
Roig's case is typical, said Alicia Ramirez, director of Hispanic Office of Local Assistance, an Orlando office that helps Hispanics obtain social services. "We see it here every day," Ramirez said. "It is a revolving door."
Because Puerto Ricans are American citizens, going back and forth doesn't pose a legal or immigration issue. "Some have come to see Central Florida as an extension of the island," Ramirez said. "We joke and say that it is Puerto Rico's 79th municipality."
Ramirez said that some social idiosyncrasies make the move easier.
"Culturally, it is perfectly acceptable for a grown man to move back to his parents' home with his own family in tow," Ramirez said. "And then, there's the underground economy. People can easily start roadside businesses selling food, hammocks or whatever, with little government regulation."
The island's other bonus is a government-run universal health-care program that, although bankrupt, still provides free services for low-income people.
That was a big consideration for Carlos Jeffrey of Hunter's Creek in south Orange County, who moved back to Puerto Rico after 13 years. He had lost his job as a medical technologist.
"Not having health insurance is nerve-racking," Jeffrey said.
He relocated to a beach property in Aguada that he had purchased as an investment. He doesn't rule out returning.
"I miss it already," he said.
Jeannette Rivera-Lyles can be reached at 407-420-5471 or jrivera@orlandosentinel.com.
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