Biden-Harris Administration Invests Approximately $30 Million to Support Comprehensive Economic Growth in Puerto Rico’s Villa Prades Community
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, edamedia@eda.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), today announced it will award approximately $30 million to Platform for Social Impact in San Juan, Puerto Rico for comprehensive economic development initiatives to support the Villa Prades public housing community.
In December 2023, Oasis Expansion Recompete Plan was named one of 22 Recompete Finalists as part of Phase 1 of the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete). Recompete targets areas where prime-age (25-54) employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal of closing this gap through flexible, locally-driven investments.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to ensuring that communities in Puerto Rico and across the country have the resources and support to grow and thrive,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Oasis Expansion Recompete Plan will help revitalize the Villa Prades community by creating jobs, expanding wraparound services, and investing in the long-term economic growth of Puerto Rico.”
“In order to unleash the full potential of our economy, we need good-paying jobs in industries that will help write the next chapter of American prosperity,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “This award is a part of a transformative step the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to foster the next generation of workers, and communities in Puerto Rico will be at the forefront of those efforts.”
As one of six Recompete awardees selected for implementation funding, Oasis Expansion Recompete Plan will invest in social services and workforce training in the Villa Prades public housing community. Through child and elder care programming, coordinated wraparound services, small business supports, and social safety net reforms, the coalition aims to overcome barriers to help working-age adults return to work. The Recompete Plan is supported by partnerships with the City of San Juan and the four agencies in the Government of Puerto Rico.
The final grant amount will be confirmed in the coming months.
“Through partnership with local communities, the Recompete program will make targeted, community-led investments to reduce unemployment,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “The Recompete awardees are bringing together a wide range of partners to develop integrated approaches to support Americans in accessing good jobs.”
“The development of the Platform for Social Impact project in the Villa Prades community will allow nearby public housing residents and surrounding area the access to workforce development, expanded K-12 opportunities, and health services,” said Governor Pedro Pierluisi. “This is why our administration has also invested in it with local and federal funds, as well as committed to interagency collaboration with the project goals. By strengthening education and workforce development services, members of this community will have improved qualifications and skills to meet the demands of our evolving economy and high-growth industries, some of which are struggling to find the skilled workers that they need. I commend the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration for their support to this community and to Puerto Rico.”
“I’m thrilled Platform for Social Impact (PSI) will receive approximately $30 million in federal funding to implement its Oasis Expansion Recomplete Plan and promote economic development in the Villa Prades public housing community in San Juan. The project assist unemployed adults in the area secure jobs through training and small business development initiatives. To facilitate the return to the workforce and promote job retention, the Oasis Expansion Recomplete Plan will also provide support services like child and elder care for working-age adults and their families,” said Representative Jenniffer González-Colón. “I was proud to support PSI’s proposal before EDA and commend the organization for successfully competing for this federal grant. I trust the project will enhance economic opportunities for Villa Prades’ 76,000 residents and serve as a model for other communities in Puerto Rico and across the rest of the nation.”
The Recompete program was authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda. The statute authorized $1 billion for the program. To date, EDA has been appropriated $200 million for the program.
Read more about the Recompete Pilot Program at eda.gov/Recompete.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.