We reviewed the front-end risk assessment (assessment) for the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC) for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Recovery Act appropriated $100 million to the lead hazard control program. Our review of the assessment for OHHLHC determined that while OHHLHC generally complied with the Recovery Act, HUD’s Streamlined FERA Process and the Departmental Management Control Program handbook, two OHHLHC-specific guides, the Desk Guide and the Program Guide, had not been updated as stated in the final assessment. In addition, we identified two issues regarding transparency that should be addressed to make information available to the public.

We recommend that OHHLHC: (1) Update the Desk Guide and Program Guide to include Recovery Act provisions as presented in the final assessment for OHHLHC, dated June 23, 2009; (2) Establish follow-up procedures to ensure that the selection results are published in the Federal Register in a timely manner; and (3) Ensure that the transparency requirement of the Recovery Act is properly implemented so that Web hyperlinks are properly maintained and available to the public. OHHLHC took action to implement the three recommendations included in the draft memorandum. As such, the recommendations will be closed upon issuance of this memorandum.