on this page
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Markets
Buildings & places
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Location
Puerto Rico, US
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Client
FEMA
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Completion date
2018
Jeanne LeBron
Business Development and Strategy Director, Omaha, Nebraska, USA contact form+1 816 235 3484
Rebuilding Lives, One Home at a Time
In the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, Puerto Rico was left grappling with unprecedented challenges. The power grid was crippled, coastal and alluvial plains were flooded, and significant landslides and wind damage disrupted countless lives. Amid this chaos, FEMA’s Permanent Housing Construction (PHC) project offered the community hope and resilience.
The PHC project was designed to address the urgent housing needs across Puerto Rico's islands, repairing eligible applicants' dwellings to safe, functional, and habitable conditions in accordance with Commonwealth and Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards. The scope encompassed up to 1,250 housing units, ranging from studios to four-bedroom houses.
As the program manager, we provided comprehensive oversight services to ensure the program remained within scope and guidelines. Our responsibilities included managing construction managers and inspectors, evaluating and recommending change orders, and handling all client requests through to the completion, delivery, and closing of each house.
Our team successfully completed 51 houses, each meeting the latest building codes and safety requirements. This effort not only restored physical structures but also rebuilt the lives of numerous families, providing them with safe and secure homes.
We were involved with strategic coordination and planning which included collaborating with FEMA to identify requirements and overcome implementation challenges for PHC in Puerto Rico; developing a scalable, time-phased construction repair plan; identifying and addressing supply chain challenges and impediments, ensuring the feasibility of a large-scale repair program; mitigating the impact of other recovery programs on limited island resources, and verifying permitting processes to streamline repair and construction timelines.
Our team conducted thorough site inspections to identify eligible houses for repairs across designated municipalities. We adhered to all applicable codes and standards, including the ADA and the Puerto Rico Building Code, ensuring compliance with permitting processes and requirements. We also provided logistics support, managing logistics across all Puerto Rican municipalities, which was a big challenge. We worked closely with FEMA to optimize geographic distribution and enhance logistics efficiency during the program's first phase.
Other items of note
Hiring a locally licensed construction firm was critical. We partnered with SLS Inc., a contractor with verifiable housing repair contracts and capacity, leveraging their supply chain flexibility and local knowledge.
Sustainable Design: Collaborating with local architects, builders, and solar power providers, we ensured that repaired houses incorporated disaster-resistant design and energy efficiencies, emphasizing sustainable practices like energy conservation and waste reduction.
Stakeholder Collaboration: We prioritized working with key agency directors involved in land development, permitting, and building codes, including the Municipal Revenue Collection Center, Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, Office of Permit Management, and Registrar of Property.
Throughout the program, our team maintained rigorous standards in safety, materials, schedule, and quality. Effective communication with internal and external stakeholders was paramount in managing expectations and sharing critical project-related information.
Our time in Puerto Rico stands as a testament to our commitment to rebuilding and restoring communities. By providing safe, functional, and habitable homes, we’ve not only addressed immediate housing needs, but also contributed to the long-term resilience and recovery of Puerto Rico.
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