(CNN) Federal officials are delaying the release of more than $8 billion in funding to help Puerto Rico bolster its disaster defenses, with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson citing "alleged corruption."

"Right now, because of the government instability, we have serious concerns and we want to make sure that we are pumping the brakes and that we're being prudent and that the money is being spent properly," the official said. "We're looking for ways to even put our current monitoring process on steroids to make sure that the money goes to the people of Puerto Rico and doesn't get wasted."

The US territory is in the midst of an unprecedented constitutional crisis over its governorship and the arrests of government officials by FBI agents investigating government contracts.

Puerto Rico was slated to receive about half of the $16 billion HUD has to distribute to states and territories hit by natural disasters since 2015. The funding is intended for major projects to make infrastructure more resilient, rather than immediate rebuilding needs. To receive the funding, local governments must submit grant requests to HUD for review.

Read More