Vanessa Ramos does her homework in the bathroom. Family dinner is served on a folded table, a checkered green cloth adding a homely feel. She jostles with eight others for television time, though adults have first-dibs because telenovelas rule. No more than two at a time are allowed in the kitchen. This is the new reality for nine undocumented immigrants whose lives were uprooted after “Superstorm” Sandy demolished their Staten Island rented homes last year. For three months since the devastating hurricane struck the region, they have lived in a tiny, one-bedroom basement underneath a two-story home. The clean but cramped basement was designed for a college student. But today, it’s home to sisters Concepcion Ramos, Belen Espino, Elizabeth Ramos and their families. The bathroom and kitchen are attached to a room where five children share two beds and their clothes are stuffed in garbage bags.
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