Rebuilding Puerto Rico
Our team of over 200 recovery experts have been working on the island since 2018, putting our personal and professional passions into helping communities become more resilient—and better prepared for natural disasters.
We are proud to work with federal and local officials to ensure Puerto Rico's recovery is done right, done fast, and done in the best interest of impacted citizens.
Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience (COR3)
We assist local municipalities, state agencies, and private non-profits to obtain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recovery funds.
We do this by conducting site inspections, developing damage descriptions, and preparing recovery statements of work and cost estimates. Once projects have been approved and FEMA has obligated funds, we provide technical assistance and review reimbursement and advance funding requests.
ICF was recognized by FEMA and the Government of Puerto Rico for providing compliant VAYGO (Verify As You Go) audited files. The compliant disbursement of $5.6 billion in five years is also the largest amount disbursed in FEMA history.
$10 B+
23,300+
active projects managed
14,700+
obligated projects
Department of Housing: Single-Family Repair, Reconstruction or Relocation (R3) Program
The Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH) allocated over $2.9 billion in Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to repair or rebuild damaged homes. We guide applicants in the eastern half of Puerto Rico through the entire grant process—from intake and eligibility reviews, to completing initial damage assessments and applicant documentation, through construction—to support PRDOH in getting citizens into safe homes.
ICF is the first and only program team to have over 2,000 home constructions completed.
9,400+
5,200+
5,100+
2,700+
2,000+
Department of Housing: City Revitalization Program (CRP)
CRP allows the 78 municipalities to propose, develop, and construct recovery projects aimed at reinvigorating downtown areas, urban centers, and key community corridors. These projects promote the redevelopment, re-greening, and restoration of lost natural resources—and further incentivize private investments in restored urban areas. Using CDBG-DR funds can be complicated. Our team of engineers, architects, planners, and various compliance experts work alongside staff and contractors in 30 municipalities to help turn their recovery project needs and ideas into compliant construction projects that will provide a public, economic, or housing benefit to citizens.
Community Energy and Water Resilience Installations Household (CEWRI-HH) Program
The CEWRI New Energy Program provides funds to cover 100% or up to a maximum of $30,000 for the installation of photovoltaic systems with battery storage for LMI low- and moderate-income (LMI) households. For non-LMI homeowners, the CEWRI Incentive Program provides funds to cover 30% or up to a maximum of $15,000 for the installation of photovoltaic systems and battery storage, contributing to Puerto Rico’s overall energy resilience.
As one of the two program managers for PRDOH, ICF helped launch and implement three program rounds from March 2023 to January 2024. This includes five intake centers across San Juan, Vega Alta, Hatillo, Aguadilla, and Mayaguez, serving 40 municipalities. ICF has completed over 56% of installations island wide.
5,400+
eligible applications supported
4,100+
installations
$161.3M
federal funding to impacted communities
Department of Housing: Single-Family Homeowner Program Blue Roof Repair Program (BRR) and Single-Family Housing Mitigation (SF-MIT)
ICF is responsible for program implementation, outreach, case management, contract administration, control, and compliance oversight of the different tasks performed by the PRDOH’s vendors under contract to implementation of the BRR and SF-MIT programs.
The CDBG-DR-funded BRR program provides solutions for owner-occupied units that have remaining damage from hurricanes Irma and María while the SF-MIT program provides more resilient homes for Puerto Ricans.
Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC)
PRWCA aims to address the workforce shortage in Puerto Rico and support the ongoing development of the island's construction industry. ICF supports this effort by assessing the current construction workforce, identifying gaps in key roles, and creating plans and roadmaps based on the findings.
We also evaluate current technical, academic, and vocational offerings in Puerto Rico, review all current federal programs and grants available for construction workforce programs in Puerto Rico, and conduct interviews and surveys with key stakeholders in the construction industry to gather insights and perspectives.
Technology: Accelerating disaster recovery
Drone technology helps teams quickly, safely, and accurately assess damaged areas. In 2–4 hours, a drone inspects what could otherwise take 2–4 days.
Taking the complexity out of grants management
Our people
Our local team, consisting of over 90% local Puerto Ricans, many of whom were personally impacted by Hurricanes Maria and Irma, is paired with disaster recovery experts who have been on the ground for nearly every major disaster in recent U.S. history. Together, they are and have developing industry-leading systems and processes.
We are invested in transferring knowledge to Puerto Ricans, so that recovery is a Puerto Rican-led effort. We provide our team with opportunities to advance their careers, firmly believing that professional growth should be attainable and inclusive for all. Many of our first local hires have progressed in their careers and are now in leadership and management positions.
Giving back
After Hurricane Fiona hit the island in 2022, our local staff came together to provide Thanksgiving meals to 450 people impacted by floods. In partnership with Giving Life, this contribution came from a combination of employee donations (supplemented by a 100% company match) and an additional $1,000 donation from the company. ICF has continued to partner with community leaders to provide food baskets to families in need during the holiday season. In 2024, we raised $5,800, benefiting nearly 1,000 Puerto Ricans.