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Date Issued

Public and Indian Housing

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-001-D

    We also recommend that the Director of HUD’s Houston Office of Public Housing evaluate the reported actions the three commissioners took when procuring the legal services contract and, if warranted, pursue administrative sanctions or other corrective actions.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-002-A
    $2,172
    Questioned 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.

    We recommend that Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority to Reimburse its low-rent operating fund $2,172 from non-Federal funds for the ineligible travel, training, and credit card expenditures.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-002-B
    $4,469
    Questioned 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.

    We recommend that Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority to reimburse its low-rent operating fund $4,469 from its Housing Choice Voucher Program fund for the expenses that should have been paid from its Housing Choice Voucher Program fund.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-002-C
    $704
    Questioned 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.

    We recommend that Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority to reimburse its Housing Choice Voucher Program fund $704 from non-Federal funds for the ineligible travel and training expenditures.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-002-D
    $31,327
    Questioned 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.

    We recommend that Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority to support or repay $31,327 to its low-rent operating fund from non-Federal funds for the various unsupported expenditures.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-002-E
    $584
    Questioned 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.

    We recommend that Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority to support or repay $584 to its Housing Choice Voucher Program fund from non-Federal funds for the unsupported travel, training, and phone expenses paid with Housing Choice Voucher Program funds.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-002-F

    We recommend that Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority to update and implement its policies and procedures, including creating a policy for recording expenses, a cost allocation plan, and a travel policy, to ensure that the Authority appropriately pays and accurately reports its costs.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-003-A

    We recommend that the Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority’s new board to complete HUD’s “Lead the Way” online training and Texas’ Open Meetings Act training.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-003-B

    We recommend that the Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority’s new board to review the board minutes during our audit period, determine which board decisions were invalid, and take action to address the invalid decisions.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-FW-1003-003-C

    We recommend that the Director of the Houston Office of Public Housing require the Authority’s new board to revise its bylaws to agree with the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Public and Indian Housing

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-CH-0001-001-A

    Establish and implement a plan to assist public housing agencies in optimizing leasing potential to maximize the number of assisted families and prevent additional vouchers from becoming unfunded. The plan should include but not be limited to (1) addressing the circumstances that prevent public housing agencies from leasing vouchers and assessing whether legislative, policy, or funding changes are needed to optimize voucher use and (2) establishing timeframes to lease vouchers for those public housing agencies that can lease vouchers and determining appropriate corrective actions for those public housing agencies that do not increase their leasing to prevent additional vouchers from becoming unfunded.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2021-CH-0001-001-B
    Prioridad
    Priority

    We believe these open recommendations, if implemented, will have the greatest impact on helping HUD achieve its mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.

    Create and implement a knowledge management strategy, such as developing standard operating procedures, reference sheets, and program office fact sheets.


    Corrective Action Taken

    HUD established and implemented a plan for the unused and unfunded vouchers, aiming to mitigate or prevent additional vouchers from becoming unused and unfunded. PIH's plan included the following, among other actions:

    • Determining the scope of HUD's statutory and regulatory authority to offset and reallocate vouchers.
    • Issuing Office of Public and Indian Housing Notice 2020-29, titled Guidance for Running an Optimized Housing Choice Voucher Program.
    • Continuing the work of HUD's landlord taskforce, engaging in listening sessions with major PHA industry groups, and conducting outreach to increase landlord participation in the HCV Program.
    • Developing research by HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research on the best methods for adjusting fair market rents and addressing specific challenges in local communities to increase utilization in the HCV Program.

Office of Chief Human Capital Officer

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-01

    Standardize position descriptions and job analyses for mission-critical occupations, high-risk occupations, and positions with high-volume staffing needs.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-02

    Develop and share best practices with HUD’s program offices on how hiring managers can execute hiring process responsibilities to meet timeliness goals.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-03

    Determine the cause for the variations in the timeliness of the preemployment and security checks step in FY 2017, 2018, and 2019 and develop appropriate process improvements.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-04

    Develop and document comprehensive reference documents on the hiring processes, procedures, roles, and responsibilities.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-05

    Develop and implement regular training for process owners on the hiring process.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-06
    Prioridad
    Priority

    We believe these open recommendations, if implemented, will have the greatest impact on helping HUD achieve its mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.

    Create and implement a knowledge management strategy, such as developing standard operating procedures, reference sheets, and program office fact sheets.


    Corrective Action Taken

    OCHCO developed and implemented client profiles for each HUD program office to address knowledge loss and the need for offices to explain or reexplain their mission and functions. The profiles will serve as a central repository to learn about the various programs and missions of HUD and will allow OCHCO staff, other key HUD program office staff, and HUD’s service provider staff to view critical information for each HUD program office.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-07

    Conduct a feasibility study for an automated POL.

  •  
    Status
      Open
      Closed
    2020-OE-0002-08

    Develop and implement time-to-hire goals that account for each hiring process step.