Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández, president of the Popular Democratic Party, sent a letter Tuesday to Keren Riquelme, executive director of Puerto Rico's Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development (ODSEC) and a former New Progressive Party senator now vice president of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico, demanding explanations for delays in disbursing Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds. Hernández said documents reviewed by his office show at least one of four eligible entities receiving CSBG funds in Puerto Rico faced significant delays receiving its initial fiscal year 2025-2026 disbursement. ODSEC distributes about $29 million to organizations helping low-income families find jobs, fund education, and stabilize housing.
At an August 13 public hearing before the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, ODSEC attributed the delays to the timing of federal Award Notifications issued by the Office of Community Services within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ODSEC has reported CSBG funds benefited 24,786 low-income Puerto Ricans across 17,162 families in federal fiscal year 2023.
Hernández asked Riquelme to detail ODSEC's process for administering and distributing CSBG funds, including internal controls and procedures ensuring timely distribution to eligible entities.