Highway and Housing Development

CSAST - 2008 (452)

Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín > Colección Samuel Santiago > Carpeta 9 (Vivienda a bajo costo)

San Juan

[19--]

Title assigned by the cataloging team.

The juxtaposition of green spaces and housing developments reveals the environmental consequences of urbanization in Puerto Rico. This stark contrast embodies a contested conception of progress, rooted in post-war United States policies, and exemplified by the Puerto Rican government’s alliance with corporate interests. Playing a pivotal role, developer William Levitt constructed the initial state-public housing complexes in the United States, with one in Puerto Rico, famously named Levittowns. These planned communities resonated with the modernist discourse embraced by both the United States and Puerto Rican governments in the post-war period. The alignment of state and corporate interests, showcased in significant endeavors such as the Caribe Hilton, found its clearest expression during Luis A. Ferré's tenure (1969-1973). As the proprietor of Puerto Rico and Ponce Cement companies, later known as Puerto Rico Cement, Ferré thrived through initiatives like Operation Bootstrap, underscoring the close ties between government and corporate construction. The right to housing intertwines with this narrative, as suburban complexes burgeoned under Muñoz Marín and later Ferré. This scene exposes the industrialization’s toll on nature, portraying extensive land conversion and the loss of vital ecosystems. Here we witness the environmental crimes of colonialism, corruption, and economic exploitation, a poignant illustration of the intricate intersection between progress, housing rights, and environmental degradation.

English Rights. (hyperlink)

Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín

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