More than 1,650 homeless people were estimated to be living just in the less-populated half of the U.S. territory’s this year, up from 980 two years ago, according to the nonprofit Puerto Rico Pro Homeless Coalition of Coalitions. Officials say they are finding a similar increase in the more-populated San Juan metropolitan area, though that report is still being completed.

“This is the most dramatic number we’ve seen,” said executive director Francisco Rodriguez.

Across the island of 3.7 million people, homeless people can be seen sleeping on park benches, under bridges or in doorways. Many are addicted to drugs, and it is common to see them begging at stoplights in and around San Juan.

Contributing to the problem is the island’s home foreclosure rate, which rose again this fiscal year to more than 13,600 cases, according to the Courts Administration. There were more than 13,400 cases the previous fiscal year, compared to about 7,300 cases in fiscal year 2003.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s median household income has dropped in recent years while its poverty rate has inched up to nearly 47 percent. That’s compared with Mississippi, the poorest state in the U.S. where nearly 23 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Rodriguez said that nearly 80 percent of previous cases involving homeless people were tied to drugs, but that financial and family problems now play a bigger part. “We’re seeing more women on the street,” he said.

Colon said she lived off her limited savings and then sold her microwave oven, living room set and other items before she was forced to move out of her rented apartment.

Having no parents, grandparents, children or a significant other, Colon found herself on the street.

She spent one night as a homeless person, choosing to go to a 24-hour Wal-Mart in the municipality of Bayamon, just south of San Juan.

“It was the only solution, the only place where I would feel somewhat safe,” she said.

She arrived around 1 a.m. and left in the morning after having spent several hours walking around the store.