HUD may relocate displaced Puerto Ricans to mainland US: report

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has begun considering a plan to provide housing on the U.S. mainland to Puerto Ricans who were displaced by Hurricane Maria, according to Bloomberg.

The plan was reportedly discussed during a recent meeting between HUD, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and White House officials. 

The report comes as large swaths of the island remain without power and access to clean drinking water. 

{mosads}While thousands of Puerto Ricans have already fled to Florida and other locations, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló asked FEMA for Transitional Sheltering Assistance on Oct. 25. 

Over 73,000 Puerto Ricans have traveled to Florida in the wake of the storm, according to Gov. Rick Scott (R). 

HUD spokesman Raffi Williams did not comment to Bloomberg on the plan to move Puerto Ricans to the mainland, however, he said it should not come as a surprise that the department was planning recovery efforts. 

“There is nothing newsy about HUD planning medium and long-term recovery — that’s what we always do,” Williams said in a statement to the news organization. 

The Trump administration has faced scrutiny for its response to the storm’s aftermath in Puerto Rico. 

Basic necessities such as food, water and medicine have been slow to reach those on the island after the storm.