We audited HUD and its grantees’ monitoring of subrecipients and contractors in HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG-CV) program to assess subrecipient monitoring in the program. ESG and ESG-CV grantees often rely on subrecipients and contractors to carry out ESG-CV-funded activities on behalf of the grantees, and are required to monitor subrecipients to
The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically impacted Americans and our economy. Congress has provided over $12 billion through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 and over $10 billion through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist homeowners, renters, landlords, impacted communities, and individuals.
Early in the pandemic, the HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) developed a framework of five key oversight areas to help us prioritize timely COVID-19 related work, and have since initiated and completed several audits, evaluations, investigative initiatives, and other innovative reviews in alignment with these oversight areas.
HUD OIG we will continue to conduct oversight of HUD’s management of programs intended to help those impacted by the pandemic to ensure those programs are not undermined by fraud, waste, or abuse.
Publication Views
The City and County of Honolulu Should Improve Its Fraud Risk Management Practices for Its ESG CARES Act Program
We audited the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services’ and Department of Community Services’ (City) fraud risk management practices for its Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG CARES Act) program with the objective of assessing the maturity of the City’s fraud risk management framework that encompasses control activities to prevent, detect, and respond to f
Housing and Community Development Should Improve Its Fraud Risk Management Practices for Its ESG CARES Act Program
We audited the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) with the objective of evaluating HCD’s fraud risk management practices for its Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG CARES Act) program and assessing the maturity of its efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud. Fraudulent activity in the ESG CARES Act program can lead to significant financi
Servicers Followed the COVID-19 Foreclosure Moratorium Requirements but Could Have Better Communicated the Requirements to Borrowers
Servicers followed the COVID-19 pandemic foreclosure moratorium requirements. However, they could have better communicated the moratorium requirements to delinquent borrowers who were subject to foreclosure proceedings. This situation occurred because HUD did not require servicers to notify borrowers directly about the foreclosure moratorium and that occupancy would pause the foreclosure process. Borrowers who
HUD’s Assistance and Grantee Challenges With the Office of Native American Programs’ COVID-19 Recovery Programs
We audited the U.S.
Tracking Pandemic Relief Funds that Went to Local Communities Reveals Persistent Data Gaps and Data Reliability Issues
The PRAC and ten of its member Offices of Inspector General (OIG) (together, the PRAC Oversight Team) undertook this case study-based review: 1. To determine how much pandemic relief funding went to six selected communities; 2. To gain more insight about how the six communities used their pandemic relief funding; and 3. To learn more about whether the funding helped the six communities respond to the pandemic
Nationstar Generally Did Not Meet HUD Requirements When Providing Loss Mitigation to Borrowers of Delinquent FHA-Insured Loans
We audited Nationstar Mortgage, LLC’s (doing business as Mr. Cooper (Nationstar)) compliance with the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) requirements for providing loss mitigation assistance to borrowers after their COVID-19 forbearance ended. We concurrently conducted a nationwide audit of servicers’ compliance with the U.S.
Servicers Generally Did Not Meet HUD Requirements When Providing Loss Mitigation Assistance to Borrowers With Delinquent FHA-Insured Loans
We performed an audit of loan servicers’ compliance with the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) requirements for providing loss mitigation assistance to borrowers after their COVID-19 forbearance ended. We initiated the audit based on the large number of borrowers exiting forbearance, because the loss mitigation programs available to these borrowers were new and created a risk for
HUD Can Improve Oversight of Its Temporary Endorsement Policy for Loans in COVID-19 Forbearance
We audited the U.S.
Fraud Risk Inventory for the Tenant- and Project-Based Rental Assistance, HOME, and Operating Fund Programs’ CARES and ARP Act Funds
In coordination with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, we conducted an audit to identify potential fraud schemes that could affect HUD’s pandemic funds. We reviewed the funds appropriated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act for the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA), HOME Investment Partnersh
Challenges Faced by Section 232 Nursing Homes During the Pandemic
We conducted a limited review of nursing home owners to identify their operational challenges and needs of nursing homes in responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our objective was to determine the biggest challenges operators of Section 232 nursing home facilities face related to the COVID-19 pandemic and whether nursing homes are prep
HUD Did Not Always Comply With Its Internal Guide When Transitioning Offices From Mandatory to Maximum Telework During the COVID-19 Pandemic
We audited the U.S.
FHA Borrowers Did Not Always Properly Receive COVID-19 Forbearances From Their Loan Servicers
The U.S.
Public Housing Agencies’ Experiences and Challenges Regarding the Administration of HUD’s CARES Act Funds
We conducted a limited review of the U.S.
Lessons Learned and Key Considerations From Prior Audits and Evaluations of the CDBG Disaster Recovery Program
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act made available $5 billion in supplemental CDBG funding for grants to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (CDBG-CV grants). Because of similarities, we reviewed 132 CDBG-DR program audits and evaluations issued from May 2002 to March 2020 to summarize the common CDBG-DR program weaknesses and
Fraud Risk Inventory for the CDBG and ESG CARES Act Funds
We conducted this engagement in coordination with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) to gain an understanding of the U.S.
COVID-19 Forbearance Data in HUD’s Single Family Default Monitoring System Generally Agreed With Information Maintained by Loan Servicers
We audited lender reporting of COVID-19 forbearances for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans in the Single Family Default Monitoring System (SFDMS). We compared default reporting data from SFDMS to loan data provided by five sampled servicing lenders that serviced a third of the FHA single-family portfolio.
Limited Review of HUD’s Office of Chief Procurement Officer Pandemic-Related Procurement Accommodations and Challenges
We conducted a limited review of the U.S.