Housing benefits extension to Puerto Rican families halted

Gov. Dannel Malloy, as well as two U.S. senators, want the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reverse a surprise decision that rescinds temporary housing benefits to 36 Puerto Rican families living in Connecticut after being displaced by Hurricane Maria.
The governor says the state was informed about the decision at noon on Thursday.
It came three days after FEMA told the state it was approving an earlier request to extend Transitional Shelter Assistance through Feb. 14.
Malloy says FEMA told his administration Thursday the extension was an error by the agency.
He says the families then began receiving orders at 2 p.m. to leave their hotels immediately.
In a letter to the FEMA administrator, Malloy urges him to "correct this egregious error" and immediately grant the extension.
AP wire services helped contribute to this report.