Services:
Client
Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH)
Challenge
After Hurricanes Irma and María triggered catastrophic, cascading failures across Puerto Rico’s power, water, communication, transportation, and healthcare systems, the island needed to move beyond simple restoration toward transformative, disaster-resilient infrastructure.
Solution
Program oversight and management of PRDOH’s Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Infrastructure Program, guiding subrecipients from allocation through closeout across Strategic, Competitive, and Healthcare Set-Aside projects.
Outcome
As of January 2026, IEM oversaw nearly $1.24 billion in CDBG-MIT infrastructure funding across 47 projects strengthening critical lifelines island-wide.
Recovery does not happen by accident. It is built through strategic investment, rigorous oversight, and the right partners. IEM is honored to support the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH) in administering the federal mitigation funds transforming the island’s critical infrastructure and healthcare systems. Together, we are helping Puerto Rico build lifelines strong enough to withstand the next storm.
Recognizing the Need: Turning Recovery Into Resilience
When Hurricanes Irma and María struck Puerto Rico in September 2017, they exposed the island’s infrastructure vulnerabilities. Cascading failures took down the power grid, cellular networks, and wastewater systems, cutting entire communities off from electricity, communications, clean water, and medical care. The message was unmistakable. Restoring what existed before was not enough. Puerto Rico’s infrastructure had to be rebuilt to withstand whatever came next.
To meet that need, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded PRDOH Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds to harden the island’s critical infrastructure against future hurricanes, flooding, and service disruptions. PRDOH’s Infrastructure Mitigation Program lets municipalities, non-governmental organizations, public corporations, and state agencies across Puerto Rico apply for funding to support transformative recovery and mitigation projects. IEM helps oversee two components of this effort, PRDOH’s $3.5 billion in Infrastructure Mitigation funds and $1 billion in Infrastructure Healthcare funds.
The program runs on two primary tracks:
- Strategic projects: Identified directly by the Government of Puerto Rico’s Executive Branch, where IEM currently works alongside five government agencies
- Competitive projects: Compete for funding through a structured application and scoring process
The IEM Approach: Oversight From Allocation Through Closeout
IEM’s grant and program management experts assist PRDOH in administering federal funding with confidence and providing oversight. From allocation to project closeout, we support subrecipients at every stage of the funding lifecycle. IEM’s services include raising program awareness, clarifying eligibility requirements, and helping municipalities and agencies navigate a complex federal funding landscape.
What sets our team apart is who is on it. IEM assembled former HUD officials, industry experts, and emergency managers with deep experience managing HUD-funded recovery programs, alongside a dedicated team of local Puerto Ricans, including licensed engineers, architects, and attorneys, serving their own community. This combination of local knowledge and federal expertise is exactly what a program of this scale and complexity demands.
The IEM Impact: Strengthening Puerto Rico’s Critical Lifelines
As of January 2026, IEM’s oversight spans nearly $1.24 billion in CDBG-MIT infrastructure funding across 47 projects, including:
- 12 Strategic projects totaling $620 million
- 13 Competitive projects totaling $351 million
- 22 Healthcare Set-Aside (HSA) projects totaling $296 million, including 13 for-profit proponents
By delivering hands-on oversight throughout the full funding lifecycle, IEM is supporting PRDOH in turning billions in federal mitigation dollars into tangible, lasting resilience for Puerto Rico’s communities.
Why States and Territories Choose IEM for CDBG-MIT Programs
- Full-lifecycle support. We guide subrecipients through eligibility, compliance, and reporting requirements from allocation through closeout.
- Expert program management. We bring proven experience overseeing Strategic, Competitive, and Healthcare Set-Aside funding tracks simultaneously.
- Federal compliance at scale. We hold a track record of managing HUD CDBG-MIT requirements across dozens of concurrent, high-value projects.
Stronger infrastructure. Safer communities. A more resilient Puerto Rico.
Partner with IEM to turn federal mitigation funding into lasting resilience for your communities.
