We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) efforts to meet the Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (the Act).

Our audit objective was to determine whether HUD met the 13 responsibilities stated in the Act with regard to its collection, production, acquisition, maintenance, distribution, use, and preservation of geospatial data.  The Act also generally requires covered agencies provide access to geospatial data and metadata to the public and enhance reporting to Congress.  The 16 covered agencies, including HUD, remain in the implementation stage of the Act until the Federal Geographic Data Committee establishes formal standard for use in determining compliance with the responsibilities stated in the Act.  The Act requires that HUD’s geospatial data be audited at least once every 2 years.

HUD met 11 of the 13 responsibilities stated in the Act.  However, HUD did not meet 2 of the 13 responsibilities stated in the Act.  HUD needs to dedicate resources to fully implement its geospatial program.  HUD’s lapse in its contract for services to manage its Geocode Services Center created challenges in meeting the responsibilities stated in the Act.  As a result, HUD risks not having accurate and open access to geospatial data available for use by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments; the public; and other interested stakeholders to make decisions.

We recommend that the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research provide adequate resources for the further development of geocoding services through the reactivation of the lapsed Geocode Service Center contract.  In addition, we will reopen recommendation 1A from OIG audit report 2020-LA-0002, issued on September 24, 2020, so that HUD can implement the agreed-upon action to meet the responsibility stated in 43 U.S.C. § 2808(a)(5).