Federal audit of Rebuild Florida Program underway
Share this @internewscast.com

The Deputy Inspector General for HUD discusses an audit of the Rebuild Florida program following reports from recipients about excessive spending and subpar work on their properties.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General (HUD OIG) is speaking publicly for the first time about its ongoing audit into Rebuild Florida’s Hurricane Irma’s Repair and Replacement program. 

It’s a state-run hurricane recovery program designed to help homeowners impacted by Hurricane Irma. The federal watchdog confirms the audit, which launched after a series of investigative reports by our team, is expected to be completed this fall.

“Your reporting certainly helped inform the way we’re seeing the issue,” said Stephen Begg, Deputy Inspector General at HUD OIG. “The work you all have done in highlighting the concerns from the individuals in the community has definitely been helpful context for us in thinking about how we would approach the issue.”

This is the second federal audit focused specifically on how Florida handled the $780 million in Irma recovery funds. The first audit, which examined just seven properties, identified cases of significant overspending.

For more than a year now, our investigation uncovered similar problems on a broader scale after reviewing dozens of homes where repair costs doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. Some recipients are still displaced nearly eight years after Hurricane Irma made landfall. Others who have returned to their homes have reported poor-quality repairs, including electrical issues and black mold.

“The goal of this audit is to assess the progress that the Florida Department of Commerce has made in their program. So we’re focused primarily on the outcomes that are being generated with the funding available. And then we’re also going to take a look at the quality of the homes that have been built by looking at a selection of them and assessing whether they meet quality standards both at HUD’s requirement level and at the local county code level. That’s the gist of it.”

He confirms that they are looking at many more properties than the first audit. We previously reported how Sean Moulton from the non-partisan watchdog group the Policy on Government Oversight thought in the first audit, there was a small sample of properties for the program’s size.

“I can tell you this is an important program for HUD and it’s an important program for us and so, you know, that’s why we initiated the audit and and HUD certainly does a range of oversight, that it is designed to assist the most impacted and distressed from the hurricane, and it’s designed to impact low and moderate income families, and so we understand the vulnerability, and that’s why it’s important for us to use our tools to to put whatever spotlight we can and hopefully identify ways that we can speed up the delivery of the services that the the people in need really deserve.”

The state allocated $480 million to the Hurricane Irma Housing Repair and Replacement Program under Rebuild Florida.

“Our risk assessment is multi-factored,” Begg said. “And public reporting on issues is certainly a part of that.”

Begg emphasized that the Inspector General’s office wants to hear from more homeowners and residents affected by the program.

Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the HUD OIG hotline at 1-800-347-3735.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the English Channel.

Russia’s Sole Ailing Aircraft Carrier, Once Struggling Through the Channel, Set to Be Retired

VLADIMIR Putin’s only rustbucket aircraft carrier that struggled through the Channel is…
LSU lands No. 1 college football recruit Lamar Brown in huge get

LSU Secures Top College Football Prospect Lamar Brown in Major Win

The No. 1 recruit in the 2026 recruiting class, according to ESPN’s…
Photo of a teenage girl and a woman.

Brave 17-year-old dies rescuing his entire family from a van that fell off a cliff into dangerous floodwaters.

A BRAVE teenager saved her entire family after their van plunged off…
Judge considers Abrego Garcia request to try to avoid deportation before trial

Judge Reviews Abrego Garcia’s Request to Prevent Deportation Prior to Trial

Abrego Garcia became a focal point concerning President Trump’s immigration policies when…
Trump wants mass deportations, but US views of immigration are more positive since he took office

Trump Advocates for Mass Deportations, Yet American Opinions on Immigration Have Grown More Favorable Since His Presidency

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mere months after President Donald Trump’s return to office…
Moderna Vaccine Dangers: What You Should Know

Understanding the Risks Associated with the Moderna Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Moderna’s COVID-19…
'General Hospital,' 'The View,' 'Live with Kelly and Mark,' and Anthony Mackie are among the Daytime Emmy Awards nominees.

Daytime Emmy Nominations Include ‘General Hospital,’ ‘The View,’ ‘Live with Kelly and Mark,’ and Anthony Mackie

LOS ANGELES — The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has…
New England serial killer fears grip coastal town after paddleboarder’s ‘terrifying’ murder

Fear of New England serial killer looms over coastal town following paddleboarder’s ‘terrifying’ murder

A week after a paddleboarder from Maine was discovered murdered in a…
Yeah, The ‘Always Sunny’ / ‘Abbott Elementary’ Crossover Features Quinta Brunson Calling Dee a ‘Total F**king C**t,’ What About It?

Unexpected ‘Always Sunny’ and ‘Abbott Elementary’ Crossover: Quinta Brunson’s Bold Insult to Dee!

If the It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and Abbott Elementary crossover is…
Here's What We've Learned About Those Multiple Suspended Secret Service Agents

Lessons from the Multiple Suspensions of Secret Service Agents

Susan Crabtree, a National Political Correspondent for RealClearPolitics, mentioned on X that…
Grieving mom of dead Camp Mystic camper desperately seeks daughter's 'most prized possession' lost in devastating Texas floods

Heartbroken Mother Seeks Lost Treasured Item of Late Camp Mystic Daughter After Texas Floods

A heartbroken Texas mother, whose 8-year-old daughter tragically passed away during catastrophic…
Photo of a Chinese citizen detained in Kyiv, Ukraine, for allegedly attempting to export classified documents.

Ukraine Detains Chinese Father and Son Accused of Spying on Long-Range Missile Program

A CHINESE dad and his son have been accused of attempting to…