We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to support $27,250 or repay its CDBG-DR program from non-Federal funds for payments made to three appraisal contractors under its housing buyout program without cost analyses.
Publication Report
2021-FW-1002 | Junio 21, 2021
The City of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, Houston, TX, Did Not Always Ensure That Its Program Followed Procurement Requirements
We audited the City of Houston’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) 2015 program. Under this program, the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2016 and 2017 made funds available for necessary expenses related to disaster... másRelated Recommendations
Community Planning and Development
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-AOpenClosedClosed on Octubre 13, 2022$9,736,636.00Funds Put to Better Use
Recommendations that funds be put to better use estimate funds that could be used more efficiently. For example, recommendations that funds be put to better use could result in reductions in spending, deobligation of funds, or avoidance of unnecessary spending.
SummaryWe recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to provide documentation, including but not limited to showing that it (1) notified and allowed a response from bidders regarding the bidding and scoring processes; and (2) awarded home repair master agreement contracts without restriction and were in line with the bid evaluation requirements, or provide a documented re-evaluation of the procurement showing that it provided the best advantage to it and HUD, thereby putting the remaining $9,736,636 award amount to better use.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-BOpenClosedClosed on Octubre 27, 2022$1,063,364.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
SummaryWe recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to support $1,063,364 or repay its CDBG-DR program from non-Federal funds for payments made to one prequalified contractor under its home repair program without independent cost estimates and cost analyses.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-COpenClosedClosed on Octubre 13, 2022$170,066.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
SummaryWe recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to support $170,066 or repay its CDBG-DR program from non-Federal funds for payments made to the demolition contractor under its housing buyout program without independent cost estimates and cost analyses.
- Summary
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to develop and implement a HUD-approved written plan and checklists that will correct and prevent the deficiencies outlined in the finding.
- Summary
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to provide training to City staff to ensure that it understands and follows procurement requirements, such as performing independent cost estimates, cost analysis, scoring, including all contract provisions, ensuring that subrecipients understand and follow procurement requirements, and maintaining appropriate procurement documentation.
- Summary
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to Update its procurement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with disaster assistance program requirements
- Summary
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to ensure that monitoring includes a review of its subrecipients’ (1) policies and procedures to ensure that the policies and procedures are current and comply with HUD requirements, (2) documentation supporting cost reasonableness to ensure that the documentation is sufficient, and (3) training provided regarding procurement and other program requirements to ensure that trainings are adequate.