Puerto Ricans Displaced by Hurricane Maria Could be Relocated to U.S. Mainland
- Agency has started developing medium-term plan for displaced
- Five weeks after Maria, many communities without power, water
A resident rides a bicycle in front of stores damaged from Hurricane Maria on a muddy road in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 18.
Photographer: Xavier Garcia/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The Trump administration is exploring ways to relocate tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland for an extended period as parts of the territory remain devastated more than a month after Hurricane Maria.
Officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development late last week started to develop a plan to provide housing to some of Puerto Rico’s displaced population, according to people familiar with the matter. And given the shortage of available options on the island, the possibility of evacuating large numbers to the mainland has emerged as an option.