Judge Orders Temporary Housing Extension For 1,700 Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees

A judge ordered federal emergency officials to extend vouchers for temporary hotel housing for nearly 1,700 Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees, saying ending the program could cause irreparable harm. Saturday night's decision came shortly after civil rights group LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed a lawsuit seeking relief for the Puerto Ricans, whose federal housing assistance vouchers were set to expire at midnight Sunday, meaning the evacuees could have been evicted from the hotels.

FEMA program offering 1,800 Puerto Ricans housing to end Saturday

Saturday marks the last day of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's temporary housing program for nearly 1,800 Puerto Rican survivors of Hurricane Maria. The emergency shelter program currently provides 1,744 families whose homes were severely damaged in the September 2017 storm with hotels and motels free-of-charge on the island, in the District of Columbia and 28 states.

Nearly 1,800 Puerto Rican hurricane survivors to lose FEMA housing assistance

Nearly 1,800 Puerto Ricans who survived Hurricane Maria will be forced to move out Sunday from hotels on the island and the US mainland, where they've lived rent-free on assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "After 10 months of providing emergency shelter through Transitional Sheltering Assistance , FEMA is ending the program on June 30 for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria survivors," the agency said in a statement.

Climate Change Is Our Most Critical National-Security Challenge

Progressive American politicians must embrace the necessity of dramatic action on climate change as a touchstone. So far, Senator Bernie Sanders has done it the most persuasively, campaigning on addressing climate change, health care, racial justice, and economic inequality as his unvaried quartet of issues, invoked in every speech and backed up with serious legislation that shows a willingness to move with real speed.

Federal food aid to Puerto Rico high in salt, sugar

An analysis of federal food aid delivered in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria reveals that much of the food exceeded federal dietary guideline limits for sugar and sodium. Credit: Uriyoan Colon-Ramos After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September of 2017, the Federal Emergency Management Agency began distributing emergency food.

Puerto Rican Day Parade show post-hurricane pride

The National Puerto Rican Parade in New York turned into its usual boisterous celebration Sunday, but many participants also saw it as an occasion to express their more somber concerns over the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. Along the parade route in the heart of Manhattan, people carried signs with tributes like "New York Stands with Puerto Rico," ''You will not be forgotten" and "Decolonize Puerto Rico."

Puerto Rican Day Parade displays post-hurricane pride

The National Puerto Rican Parade in New York turned into its usual boisterous celebration Sunday, but many participants also saw it as an occasion to express their more somber concerns over the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. Along the parade route in the heart of Manhattan, people carried signs with tributes like "New York Stands with Puerto Rico," ''You will not be forgotten" and "Decolonize Puerto Rico."

Critics Blame Trump For The Hurricane Maria Death Toll And Response…

The Trump administration's response to Hurricane Maria is facing a fresh round of criticism following the May 29 publication of a Harvard study that says the death toll in Puerto Rico might be as many as 70 times higher than the official tally. The number is an estimate of the total additional deaths in Puerto Rico in the months after Maria made landfall on Sept.

Hispanic lawmakers call for commission to study reported under counting of death toll in Puerto Rico

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called for an independent commission to look into the death tolls in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Hispanic lawmakers call for commission to study reported under counting of death toll in Puerto Rico Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called for an independent commission to look into the death tolls in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

As storm season starts, AP photographer revisits Puerto Rico

Roberto Figueroa Caballero holds a printed photo taken on Oct. 5, 2017 of him amid his seaside home that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria, as he stands on the same property with his pet dog in the La Perla neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 29, 2018. Figueroa, who found a job at a pizzeria, aims to rebuild his home and is appealing FEMA's second rejection of his application.