FEMA obligates $75.6 million for housing, schools, roads and power infrastructure recovery
By THE STAR STAFF
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has obligated more than $75.5 million in new federal funding for disaster recovery and reconstruction projects across Puerto Rico.
The announcement was made in a statement Saturday quoting Gov. Jenniffer González Colón. The investments target public housing, schools, roads, coastal stabilization projects and electrical infrastructure damaged by recent natural disasters.
The $75.6 million package includes projects linked to four federal disaster declarations: Hurricane Maria, the earthquakes in the island’s southwest, Hurricane Fiona and Tropical Storm Ernesto.
“Puerto Rico’s recovery continues to move forward with federal investments addressing concrete needs in communities across the Island,” González Colón said. “These more than $75 million in new FEMA obligations will support public housing rehabilitation, strengthen our schools against future seismic events, rebuild our electrical infrastructure, and repair roads and municipal streets damaged by disasters.”
A significant portion of the newly obligated funding will support public housing projects administered by the island Public Housing Administration. The largest individual award, totaling nearly $14 million, will fund the rehabilitation of 32 residential buildings and an administrative facility at the Juan Jiménez García housing complex in Caguas. Another $7 million will finance repairs to 30 buildings and common areas at the Turabo Heights development, also in Caguas.
Additional housing investments include more than $3 million to restore seven residential buildings at Jardines de San Carlos in Caguas, approximately $2.1 million for repairs at the Carolina Walk Up (El Faro) complex in Carolina, and about $1 million for reconstruction work at the Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón development in Cataño. Funding was also allocated for projects in Santurce, Ceiba, Río Piedras and Manatí.
Road and infrastructure projects also received substantial support. FEMA obligated nearly $7.7 million for repairs and mitigation improvements along interior roads connected to PR-772 and PR-771 in Barranquitas following damage caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto. An additional $2 million was approved for repairs and mitigation work along interior roads linked to PR-720, PR-156 and PR-770 in the municipality.
Other transportation-related projects include $1.44 million for municipal road improvements in Barrio Mameyes in Jayuya, more than $800,000 for slope stabilization and roadway improvements in San Lorenzo, nearly $600,000 for the reconstruction of roads and embankments in Cayey, and additional funding for roadway repairs in Río Grande, Patillas, Comerío and Salinas.
Education-related projects include more than $7.2 million to reimburse administrative management costs incurred by the Puerto Rico Department of Education following the earthquakes in the southwestern part of the island. FEMA also obligated nearly $1.7 million for repairs and mitigation measures at Juan Serapio Mangual School in Juana Díaz and $1.6 million for structural rehabilitation and seismic mitigation work at Doris Martínez López School in Yauco.
The funding package also provides support for Puerto Rico’s electrical grid. FEMA obligated approximately $1.6 million for the reconstruction and modernization of distribution feeders in Sabana Grande under the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. Additional allocations include nearly $750,000 for repairs and replacement of electrical distribution components associated with Hurricane Fiona, some $486,000 for repairs to poles and conductors in the Mayagüez region, nearly $475,000 for transmission system repairs under PREPA and grid operator LUMA Energy, and more than $172,000 for reconstruction of another distribution feeder.
Among other notable projects, FEMA approved $6.6 million for repairs and mitigation work at Loíza’s Paseo del Atlántico, including coastal stabilization efforts designed to reduce future storm damage. The agency also obligated more than $3.1 million each for projects at the Arecibo Composting Plant and a Solid Waste Authority facility in Guayanilla.
Cultural and community facilities also received funding, including nearly $673,000 for restoration of the Juan “Pachín” Vicéns Auditorium in Ponce, close to $584,000 for repairs at the Museum and Cultural Center of Caguas, more than $500,000 for replacement of the San Francisco de Asís Chapel in Ponce, and some $121,000 to complete repairs at a community stadium in Orocovis.
Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli said the funding reflects continued coordination between Puerto Rico and federal agencies to advance high-priority recovery projects.
“Every federal obligation addresses a specific need identified by Puerto Rico and reflects the work undertaken to move these priorities forward,” Boffelli said. “This new round of funding underscores the importance of maintaining an active, results-driven federal agenda for Puerto Rico.”
