Hurricane Maria
Coverage of Hurricane Maria in the Nexus archive.
- HUD suspends disaster funding to U.S. Virgin Islands housing authority, saying mismanagement has kept $1.3 billion from hurricane survivors
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) suspended disaster funding to the U.S. Virgin Islands’ housing authority due to mismanagement, which has prevented $1.3 billion in hurricane recovery funds from reaching survivors. An investigation found financial mismanagement, inadequate fraud controls, and incomplete housing projects, with only $570 million of $1.9 billion allocated funds spent over nine years.
- US suspends funding for US Virgin Islands' housing authority and accuses it of corruption
The U.S. government suspended funding for the U.S. Virgin Islands' housing authority due to an investigation revealing widespread corruption, financial mismanagement, and improper payments. The housing authority has spent only $570,000 of $1.9 billion in disaster recovery funds nearly nine years after Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, with HUD accusing it of being an 'abysmal steward of taxpayer funds.'
- US Virgin Islands’ housing authority accused of corruption as federal funding is suspended
The U.S. Virgin Islands' housing authority faces accusations of corruption, leading to the suspension of federal funding by the U.S. government. An HUD investigation revealed financial mismanagement, with only $570,000 of $1.9 billion in disaster recovery funds spent since 2017, as residents continue to recover from Hurricane Irma and Maria. The authority is accused of improper payments, inadequate fraud controls, and misuse of funds for administrative costs.
- Federal audit finds Puerto Rico awaiting billions of dollars nearly a decade after deadly hurricane
A federal audit found only 25% of $14 billion in federal funds for Puerto Rico's power grid post-Hurricane Maria had been disbursed nearly a decade later, with delays attributed to staff turnover, onerous project reviews, and the territory's financial struggles. Chronic blackouts persist despite the allocated funds, with only 400 miles of planned vegetation clearance completed by February.
- Federal audit finds Puerto Rico awaiting billions of dollars nearly a decade after deadly hurricane
A federal audit found that only 25% of $14 billion in federal funds for Puerto Rico's power grid after Hurricane Maria has been disbursed nearly a decade later. Chronic delays include slow vegetation clearing, project review challenges, and Puerto Rico's financial struggles, with Luma Energy facing legal disputes over power management.
- Federal audit finds Puerto Rico awaiting billions of dollars nearly a decade after deadly hurricane
A federal audit found that only 25% of $14 billion in federal funds for Puerto Rico’s power grid post-Hurricane Maria has been distributed nearly a decade later. The audit highlights delays in allocating disaster recovery funds to the U.S. territory.
- Federal audit finds Puerto Rico awaiting billions of dollars nearly a decade after deadly hurricane
A federal audit found that only 25% of $14 billion in federal funds obligated for Puerto Rico's power grid recovery after Hurricane Maria has been disbursed nearly a decade later. Chronic blackouts and delays in infrastructure projects persist, with only 400 miles of planned transmission lines cleared using federal funds as of February 2026.
- Federal audit finds Puerto Rico awaiting billions of dollars nearly a decade after deadly hurricane
A federal audit found that only 25% of $14 billion in federal funds for Puerto Rico’s power grid recovery after Hurricane Maria has been disbursed nearly a decade later. Delays include staff turnover, complex project reviews, Puerto Rico’s financial struggles, and a former policy requiring manual approval for large expenditures.
- Private power company countersues Puerto Rico’s government as legal woes deepen
Luma Energy, a private power company in Puerto Rico, countersued the U.S. territory’s government, alleging bad faith and intentional malice. The legal battle follows the government's lawsuit to cancel Luma's contract over unmet grid improvement promises, with Luma claiming it would be owed billions if terminated. Puerto Rico's power authority remains in bankruptcy amid chronic outages and infrastructure decay.
- US Democratic lawmakers pledge to help speed up disaster recovery in Puerto Rico
U.S. Democratic lawmakers pledged to address delays in Puerto Rico's disaster recovery, citing issues with federal reimbursement and project approvals. They highlighted challenges caused by a former Homeland Security policy requiring manual approval for large expenditures and ongoing staffing shortages at FEMA, which hindered recovery efforts from hurricanes and earthquakes.
- US Democratic lawmakers pledge to help speed up disaster recovery in Puerto Rico
US Democratic lawmakers pledged to address delays in Puerto Rico's disaster recovery, including issues with federal funding approvals and FEMA staffing. The group met with mayors to discuss challenges caused by a policy requiring personal approval for large expenditures, which was later rescinded. Puerto Rico's recovery from hurricanes and earthquakes remains slow, with 30% of projects pending.