As victims in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are still struggling to recover from the damage left by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, a group of U.S. Senators are trying to ensure that displaced residents have access to housing on the U.S. mainland.
Senator Chris Murphy is leading a group of 11 other senators in a fight to make sure that FEMA works with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to follow disaster guidelines.
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The senators sent a letter to FEMA on Wednesday, calling for a disaster housing assistance program.
“We write with deep concern about the federal response to Hurricanes Maria and Irma, particularly as it relates to addressing the housing needs of the multitudes of newly-displaced families in Puerto Rico and the USVI. It remains unclear to what extent FEMA is coordinating with HUD to respond to the disaster,” the senators wrote.
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“We are concerned that a lack of effective coordination will unnecessarily delay assistance and could have disastrous consequences for the families in greatest need.”
“We are prepared to work with you to provide additional resources for unmet needs and to work to ensure that assistance is deployed effectively to help families on the islands.”