We audited the Municipality of Mayaguez (Municipality) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan, based on the amount of HOME funds approved. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Municipality met program objectives in its HOME-funded activities and maintained its financial management system in compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban...

HUD OIG audited the Municipality of Arecibo’s (Municipality) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan based on the results of a previous audit of the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (Department) HOME program, which disclosed that the Department disbursed HOME funds for land acquisition that did not meet program requirements at a 288-unit housing project named Bello...

We audited the Avesta Housing Management Corporation (Avesta), located in Portland, ME, in response to a request from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Manchester, NH, Office of Housing field office. The request came after the completion of an Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit of the Orchard Court project. Avesta was the previous manager of Orchard Court and is the current manager of 30 other HUD projects....

We audited the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (Department) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). We selected the Department for review as part of our strategic plan based on the results of a previous audit of the Department’s HOME program that disclosed instances of HOME-funded activities with slow progress. The objectives of this audit were to determine whether the Department’s HOME-funded activities met program objectives and...

We completed an audit of the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration (authority) central office procurement system. We selected the authority for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine (1) whether the authority’s procurement policies and procedures were in compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) requirements, (2) whether it followed its policies and procedures...

We audited the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (Department) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). We selected the Department for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Department (1) reimbursed HOME funds on terminated activities; (2) expended HOME funds within U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-established timeframes; (3) administered program income,...

In accordance with our goal to review and ensure the proper administration of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds provided under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) and/or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), we conducted a capacity review of the operations of the State of Maine’s (State) Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development (Department). The...

We audited the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration’s (authority) Capital Fund Financing Program (Financing Program) as part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) strategic plan goals to improve the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fiscal accountability. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the authority obligated and expended the 2003 Financing Program funds in accordance with HUD requirements...

We audited the Municipality of Rio Grande’s (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program and whether the...

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority's (Authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether the Authority properly determined housing assistance subsidies, properly determined the eligibility of tenants, and recertified tenants in a timely manner....

We performed an audit of the Orchard Court project, a Section 236 multifamily property, located in Bath, Maine. As part of our audit, we reviewed subsidy payments made to Orchard Court from Bath and Brunswick, Maine, Housing Authorities (Authorities). Our objective was to determine whether Section 8 voucher program subsidies paid to Orchard Court from the Authorities were for basic rent, rather than market rent. Basic rent is the minimum rent a...

We audited the Orchard Court project, located in Bath, Maine, in response to a referral received by the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) Office of Investigation (Region 1). The referral indicated a potential inappropriate use of project funds by the Orchard Court Housing Corporation (project owner) and/or the management agent. Our overall objective was to determine whether the project owner and/or management agents operated the project...

We reviewed Doral Bank Puerto Rico (Doral), an approved issuer for the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Our objective was to determine whether Doral complied with Ginnie Mae requirements associated with its mortgage-backed securities activities. The review was initiated in connection with the 2007 Ginnie Mae financial statement audit. Doral did not fully comply with Ginnie Mae requirements because it maintained seven...

We audited the Municipality of Carolina's (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program. The Municipality...

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Municipality of Caguas (authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Section 8 units met housing quality standards in accordance with HUD requirements and whether the authority properly determined housing assistance subsidies. Of the 10 units...

We audited the HOME Investment Partnerships program (HOME) administered by the Maine State Housing Authority, Augusta, Maine (Authority), as part of our annual audit plan. The Authority received more than $21 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for its federal HOME program from 2005 to 2007. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Authority administered its HOME program in compliance with HUD...

We audited the Municipality of Canovanas' (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program. The Municipality...

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Municipality of Ponce (authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Section 8 units met housing quality standards in accordance with HUD requirements and whether the authority properly paid program landlords and properly determined housing...