The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a notice to help Puerto Rico recover from hurricanes in 2017 by using Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. This notice introduces waivers that modify the usual requirements for property acquisition and relocation to help low to moderate-income families move from homes damaged by the disasters. If clear property titles cannot be obtained, properties may be acquired through a process called eminent domain, which ensures owners receive compensation based on the property's value. This is designed to help families relocate to safer areas while bypassing complex property title issues.
Simple Explanation
The government is helping people in Puerto Rico by using special rules to buy homes that got damaged in big storms, so families can move to safer areas. If there are problems with knowing who owns the homes, the government can still buy them and pay the owners what the homes are worth.