For nearly a year, two Florida news outlets have been conducting an investigation that has uncovered questionable spending, poor workmanship, and a lack of transparency in a state-run program designed to assist victims of Hurricane Irma: First Coast News and WTSP Tampa Bay.

Now, the U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) has announced an audit of the Rebuild Florida program, which provides federally funded housing assistance through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant. The OIG confirmed it has notified Florida Commerce that the audit is underway, with a focus on the Hurricane Irma relief efforts. Previous audits have led to recommendations aimed at improving Florida’s disaster recovery programs.

According to the OIG’s website:

“The State has spent the majority of its funds on home rehabilitation and reconstruction; however, it has not completed a comparable percentage of expected homes. Our audit objective is to assess (1) the State’s overall program progress and outcomes, including funding status, the number of homes assisted, and the cost of assistance, and (2) the workmanship quality of a sample of completed homes.”

Investigative reports have revealed homeowners waiting years for repairs, many still in limbo, and taxpayer dollars being spent on hotel stays and substandard construction work. Complaints from affected homeowners were submitted to the OIG in 2024.

Chris Fontanesi, Acting Chief of Staff for the U.S. HUD Office of Inspector General, issued a statement thanking First Coast News, 10 Tampa Bay, and Florida homeowners for bringing attention to potential fraud within the program.

“We encourage all victims of natural disasters to report suspected fraud, waste, or abuse in HUD-funded disaster recovery programs to the Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-347-3735. Homeowners can also learn how to protect themselves from contractor fraud by visiting our Fraud Bulletins at www.hudoig.gov/fraud/notices-alerts.”

For ongoing investigative coverage, visit: https://www.wtsp.com/rebuild.

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