NLIHC, other national advocates, and local organizations in Puerto Rico sent a letter on March 29 to Puerto Rico Governor Rosselló and HUD Secretary Ben Carson expressing their concern about the lack of opportunity for community input on long-term disaster recovery plans. HUD’s notice allocating the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) funding requires states to ensure communities have opportunities to provide input and comment on recovery plans, but preliminary public-comment sessions held in Puerto Rico fell short of complying with that requirement.
The letter states, “Public stakeholders were not afforded a meaningful opportunity to consult with Puerto Rican officials about their specific needs and perspectives on long-term recovery.” Many community leaders were unaware of the March hearings, and those who were able to attend and speak were given far less time than government officials. NLIHC and other groups urge HUD and the Puerto Rican government to provide additional opportunities for public consultation to ensure communities have meaningful input regarding long-term disaster recovery plans.
Read the letter in full at: https://bit.ly/2J54IZ6