P.R. Laws tit. 1, § 5174
(a) The week of Thanksgiving Day, in November of each year, is hereby declared the “Week of Solidarity, Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Self-Determination of Vagrant People in Puerto Rico”.
(b) The Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall issue, at least ten (10) days before the beginning of this Week, a proclamation to that effect, with the purpose of exhorting the Puerto Rican people, government agencies and municipalities, and the private sector, including educational institutions, to participate, cooperate and join in the activities that are organized to comply with the objectives of this section.
(c) All public entities, agencies and instrumentalities of the Puerto Rican Government, including municipalities, shall adopt the measures necessary in order to comply with the objectives of this section, through the organization of activities to be held for the citizenry’s orientation and awareness about the problems of the homeless and their own contribution toward providing a solution to the same. Further, they shall organize and carry out activities aimed at identifying the needs of the homeless and guide them regarding this problem so as to motivate them toward rehabilitation and to obtain their full reintegration to daily life, achieving their self-sufficiency.
It befalls upon the Committee for the Implementation of Public Policy for the Homeless, created by §§ 1001—1005 of Title 8, upon the Office of the Municipal Affairs Commissioner, upon the Puerto Rican Association of Mayors and upon the Federation of Puerto Rican Mayors, to organize, coordinate and implement the activities referred to in the previous paragraph, as well as to coordinate fiscal, human, and material resources, and installations, among others, with the different government agencies and non-profit organizations, specially those rendering services to the homeless in Puerto Rico.
Further, said activities must provide the homeless with moments of solace, recreation and artistic and cultural activities that promote socialization, as well as allow the artistic abilities of the homeless to reach their potential, channeling their paintings, craftsmanship and other artistic productions towards the market.
Additionally, said activities must provide the homeless with the opportunity to receive information about housing, health (physical and emotional, nutrition), work, safety, civil rights protection and education services, as well as referrals, as well as referrals to other agencies, non-profit corporations and/or service installations of another nature. Also, barber, personal hygiene and clothing services must be provided, as well as transportation to transport the homeless to places designated for the performance of the activities.
(d) The Committee for the Implementation of Public Policy for the Homeless, as well as the different government and municipal organizations are hereby authorized to request, accept and manage public, state, municipal and/or federal funds exclusively appropriated to comply with the purposes of this section. Further, they may request, accept and manage funds originating from subsidies and donations from private entities to be used exclusively to comply with the purposes of this section.
(e) The objective or purpose sought by this section shall not limit nor prevent activities with similar ends from being carried out, or with the purpose of complying with the public policy developed pursuant to §§ 1001—1005 of Title 8, on dates different from that established in subsection (a) of this section.
(f) The activities described in this section must be carried out in the different geographic areas of Puerto Rico, simultaneously, covering the eight (8) senate districts.
(g) The Committee for the Implementation of Public Policy for the Homeless shall include a specific section or chapter making reference to the activities carried out following the present section and the achievements attained thereof as part of the annual progress and achievements report required by subsection (d) of § 1005 of Title 8. It shall also indicate, by Senate District, the amount of participation of homeless people, state agencies, municipal administrations, private sector and non-profit organizations, as well as suggestions and recommendations for activities of the week provided in this section for the next year.
(h) The funds necessary for complying with the purposes of this section shall be identified, petitioned and consigned in the General Expense Budget of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as of Fiscal Year 2004—2005, and subsequent years, specifically in the one in which each one of the government agencies or entities is assigned for such purposes exclusively, and specially in the budget appropriated to the Committee for the Implementation of Public Policy for the Homeless.
History —Jan. 7, 2004, No. 2, §§ 1—8, eff. July 1, 2004.