Virgin Islands Housing Authority outlines accelerated redevelopment plan, cites funding as central constraint

The Virgin Islands Housing Authority told the Committee on Housing, Transportation and Telecommunications on March 28 that it has refreshed a 10‑year infrastructure plan and now intends to accelerate demolition, redevelopment and new construction to address the territory’s affordable‑housing shortfall.

At the hearing Executive Director Dwayne Alexander said the authority currently manages "20 developments grouped into 9 asset management properties totaling 2,426 units" and has revised plans so the inventory will fall to "approximately 2,000 units" as demolition and redevelopment proceed. He told senators the authority’s annual target is to modernize or construct about 300 units per year.

Why it matters: The authority said hurricane damage, rising construction and insurance costs and a backlog of deferred maintenance have made the previous timeline infeasible. Alexander emphasized the practical constraint repeatedly: "the key word for us is funding, funding, funding." He described a mix of FEMA hazard mitigation and recovery dollars, HUD capital funds, tax‑credit…