Eight years after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the Office of Disaster Recovery says its EnVIsion Tomorrow housing program is finally showing signs of momentum — though delays, contractor capacity, and homeowner frustrations continue to weigh heavily on the federally funded initiative.
“Despite the many challenges, the EnVIsion Tomorrow program continues to make progress,” said an upbeat Adrienne Williams-Octalien, ODR director, during testimony before the Committee on Disaster Recovery, Infrastructure, and Planning on Friday.
The program, responsible for repairing hurricane-damaged homes with federal dollars, has long been criticized for moving at a snail’s pace. By May 2025, only 57 homes were completed. Today, ODR says 72 homes have been finished, with 104 currently under construction and 78 more awarded to contractors pending mobilization. Committee chair Senator Marise James praised the numbers as “excellent.”
Still, Williams-Octalien acknowledged that “the program continues to face several challenges that are inherent when navigating the construction of 100 homes simultaneously.” She pointed to permitting delays, applicant relocation issues, and resource constraints. Many homes, she added, “require unique, tailored solutions to address issues resulting from years of deferred maintenance and poor workmanship.”
Contractor performance remains a sticking point. “Contractor capacity is extremely challenging,” Williams-Octalien said, noting that many builders are unfamiliar with large-scale projects involving multiple homes. Sen. James cited a Consortium interview with EnVIsion client Vera Lindquist, who complained of shoddy work. “From my reading, it was not the fault of the organization or the entity, but the contractor that was assigned,” James said.
Williams-Octalien described Lindquist’s home as an “ongoing project,” adding, “There was things that needed to be fixed in the home but we're continually working on it.” She urged clients to work with housing specialists, admitting “we understand there’s a lot of frustration,” but promising that problems were being addressed.
ODR is pushing contractors to “stick to the scope” of work and provides extra oversight for those struggling. “We have a couple of really great ones that are turning out the homes quickly, and we have others that are building their capacity as they go along,” Williams-Octalien said. Liquidated damages are included in contracts to penalize major failures.
The director emphasized that capability will be key as ODR presses forward. “We are currently reviewing all the applications that we have,” she said. The program’s application pool has closed, and funds are capped. “Once that amount has been depleted, then of course, we will not be able to assist anyone else,” she added. Each home is limited to $400,000 for repairs or restoration, and the funds carry an expiration date.
ODR continues to check in with applicants. “I would say that at least 85% are still interested,” Williams-Octalien reported. “Unfortunately, some have passed,” she admitted — a stark reminder of the long delays. Others have completed repairs on their own after tiring of waiting. “The overwhelming majority of applicants are still waiting,” she said.
So far, 46 of the 72 completed homes are in St. Croix, with the remaining 25 on St. Thomas. On St. John, five homes are under construction, compared to 66 on St. Croix and 33 on St. Thomas.
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