New York Leaders Bring $280,000 and Promise to Puerto Rico
City and state officials link the recent midterm election results to new funding for resiliency hubs and healthcare on the island.
By Matthew Collins ·
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul traveled to San Juan on Friday to announce a $280,000 partnership aimed at helping Puerto Rico manage ongoing emergencies. The two leaders visited the island to assert that the recent Democratic midterm victory will improve conditions for the U.S. territory. They are part of a group of New York officials attending a four-day annual conference and met with local nonprofits during their visit.
Mamdani argued that the island’s difficulties are political rather than natural. He stated that the election results offer a chance to deliver for working-class people across the country. Hochul described the election outcome as a new day for Puerto Rico and said the federal government must be held responsible for the island’s needs. She emphasized the need to heal past wounds by bringing resources for energy projects, grid repairs, and healthcare.
The new funding is a joint effort between the Hispanic Federation and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. The money will equip 10 community-run resiliency hubs across the island with increased water storage capacity. Some hubs will also receive rain-collection systems, kitchen infrastructure, and solar power with battery storage. Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, said the organization must work with leadership to ensure the Puerto Rico agenda is not forgotten.
This announcement arrives as Puerto Rico faces chronic power outages and intermittent water shortages. The island is still rebuilding from Hurricane Maria, which struck in September 2017, and other disasters. The U.S. Department of Energy recently shifted funds originally intended for solar projects to maintain the crumbling power grid. A $400 million project that would have installed solar and battery storage in low-income and medically vulnerable homes was canceled by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Last week, six Puerto Rico residents filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Energy Department and Secretary Chris Wright. They are challenging the scrapping of a $1 billion federally funded program for solar power and battery storage. The lawsuit argues that the cost of such systems remains out of reach for most residents. One plaintiff, 63-year-old Ileana Rios, is diabetic and needs electricity to refrigerate her insulin. Her son has asthma and relies on a nebulizer. The lawsuit notes that Rios regularly loses power, sometimes for weeks during storms.
Sybelle Rodriguez del Valle, director of operations at the nonprofit Barrio Eléctrico, said the funding loss caused months of uncertainty. The organization provides electric service to more than 500 families and was preparing to serve 1,200 more with federal funds. Barrio Eléctrico had completed only about one-third of its projects before the program ended. The nonprofit estimates it lost between $16 million and $20 million in funding.
Hochul and Mamdani’s visit underscores the political connection between New York and Puerto Rico. The $280,000 partnership is a direct response to the infrastructure gaps that have persisted for years. The lawsuit filed last week remains pending as the agency has not returned messages seeking comment. The new resiliency hubs will begin operating with the added water and solar capacity provided by the grant.
