Hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Harvey
The new norm
The 2017 hurricane season was defined by a record number of storms. Hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Harvey created unprecedented destruction in Puerto Rico and Texas. ICF is bringing its vision of inclusive revitalization, responsible modernization, and community commitment to both impacted areas to manage recovery projects—and working with state and local officials to rebuild communities with integrity.
We are working in Puerto Rico to lay the groundwork for lasting revitalization. Devastation on this scale demands a partner that knows how to expedite the recovery process. That’s what we bring. All of our public infrastructure work— restoring schools, public water and energy infrastructure, and medical facilities—will help the community get back on its feet, quickly.
Communities hit by hurricanes feel vulnerable in the aftermath. So much of the process, from working with FEMA and HUD to navigating insurance requirements, can leave you feeling helpless. But we know from experience (Katrina, Sandy) that we can rebuild stronger communities when we work together. That’s why we recruited, on-boarded, and trained more than 300 staff within 3 months. Nearly 90% are local, and many are Hurricane Maria and Irma survivors. Within 6 months, we addressed over 5,500 projects and submitted over 2,200 Damage Descriptions and Dimensions (DDDs) to FEMA. We’re also using drone technology to quickly and safely assess damage areas—and then working with our dedicated staff to rebuild their neighborhoods.
When residents have lost their homes, how do you get them the help they need, fast? This is a question that Texas asked after Hurricane Harvey, and we brought in our HUD funding experts to help. We are supporting the state’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program in three key areas: project management, technical assistance, and financial services. This includes helping the Texas General Land Office administer the state’s housing assistance and buyout and infrastructure programs and supporting efforts to streamline the financial process. All in the interest of giving people a place to call home again.
We are also providing outreach, intake, case management, and related services to help impacted communities. In doing so, we have stood up 9 housing resource centers and 7 mobile intake teams to guide local residents through the extensive, and often confusing, CDBG-DR application process.
Explore our disaster management resources and insights
