Reserve residences offer spacious living in a safe and well-maintained community. Residents have access to resort-style amenities including a gorgeous 1.3 mile walking trail, state-of-the-art fitness center and resort style pool. Inside, enjoy a comfortable apartment with hard surface flooring throughout living and dining areas, granite countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, oversized tubs, washer/dryer and vaulted ceilings. The property is located within walking distance of local shopping, restaurants and historic sites such as the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico and Fort San Felipe del Morro.
Many reserve communities face significant socio-economic challenges that require urgent attention. Historically, the disproportionate allocation of land to reserves led to limited economic opportunities. On top of that, reserves are often situated in remote areas that provide few opportunities for employment and businesses. Government rights-of-way such as power transmission lines, railways and highways frequently intersect reserve lands, dividing them and further restricting their use. In addition, the federal government holds the title to reserve land, meaning that people who live there do not own it or have access to mortgages, small business loans and lines of credit.
In recent decades, the federal government has sought to address these social hardships by implementing on-reserve housing programs. But despite some short-term successes stemming from large influxes of proposal-based funding, these programs have not resulted in long-term broad improvements. In a blog post, Indigenous Corporate Training has identified eight key issues with on-reserve housing: reserve residences