We audited the Jonesboro Housing Authority's (Authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General's (OIG) annual audit plan. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority's Section 8 housing choice voucher units met HUD standards.

The Authority's Section 8 units generally met housing quality standards. Our inspection of 16 Section 8 units resulted in 11 that did not meet minimum housing quality standards, but only one unit was in material noncompliance. However, the Authority needed to improve it's; enforcement of certain housing quality standards requirements, tracking and timely performance of annual inspections, and abatement notification and timely follow-up inspections of units that fail their initial inspections. The violations resulted in the payment of more than $6,000 in ineligible housing assistance. The violations occurred because the Authority's oversight of the program and procedures for conducting, tracking, and following up on housing quality standards inspections had weaknesses.

We recommend that the director of the Office of Public Housing require the Authority to repay $6,663 from nonfederal funds for inappropriate housing assistance payments. We also recommend that the director require the Authority to establish and implement adequate controls and procedures for conducting, tracking, and following up on future housing quality standards inspections.