We completed an audit of the operations of the City of Buffalo, NY (City), pertaining to its administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether the City (1) administered its CDBG program effectively, efficiently, and economically in accordance with applicable rules and regulations, and (2) expended CDBG funds for eligible activities that met a national objective of the program...

We performed a limited review of Midland Mortgage Company (Midland) as a result of our internal audit of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) – Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). Our objective was to determine whether Midland followed U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rules and regulations when processing defaulted loans for the FHA-HAMP loss mitigation option. Overall, Midland complied with FHA-HAMP rules...

We audited Westbeth Artists Houses (auditee) in response to a complaint submitted to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) hotline alleging that project funds were used to pay an executive director in violation of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. Our audit objectives were to assess the merits of the complaint and determine whether project operations generally complied with HUD regulations pertaining to...

We completed the fifteenth audit report in our ongoing review of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation’s (LMDC) administration of the $2.783 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Assistance funds provided to the State of New York in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. During the audit period, October 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010, LMDC...

We completed an audit of the operations of the City of Binghamton, NY (City), pertaining to its administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Section 108 Loan Guarantee program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether the City (1) administered its Section 108 loan program effectively, efficiently, and economically in accordance with applicable rules and regulations; (2) used Section 108 loan proceeds on eligible...

We conducted a review of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans underwritten by Sterling National Mortgage Company, Inc. (Sterling), an FHA direct endorsement lender. The review was conducted as part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Operation Watchdog initiative to review the underwriting of 15 direct endorsement lenders at the suggestion of the FHA Commissioner. The Commissioner expressed concern regarding the increasing claim...

We completed a corrective action verification review of the audit recommendations for findings 1 and 2 of Audit Report Number 2006-NY-1005, issued February 21, 2006 pertaining to the general operations of the Utica Municipal Housing Authority, Utica, New York (Authority). The purpose of the corrective action verification was to determine whether the selected audit recommendations were implemented and the deficiencies cited in the report were...

We performed a capacity review to assess the Rochester Housing Authority’s (Authority) administration of its capital funding program. The Authority was awarded $5.9 million in capital funds under the Recovery Act. Our review determined that the Authority had weaknesses in its financial controls that if left unaddressed could lead to its having a diminished capacity to effectively administer its supplemental Recovery Act funds. Specifically,...

As part of the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to ensure the proper use of America Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Housing and Economic Recovery Act funds, we assessed the City of Oklahoma City’s capacity and risks in three areas: internal controls, financial operations, and procurement. Our review did not disclose any reportable conditions or control deficiencies.

We audited the Housing Authority of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma’s (Authority) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) funds. The objective was to determine whether the Authority had the capacity to use its Recovery Act funds in accordance with U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements. We reviewed the Authority because of concerns identified in a previous audit of the Authority. The Authority...

We audited the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority’s (Authority) administration of its Low-Rent housing 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 for its assisted housing programs. The audit objectives were to determine whether the Authority administered its low-rent housing program in accordance with...

We audited the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority’s (Authority) administration of its Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) and Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency grant programs 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 for its assisted housing programs. The audit objectives were to determine...

We audited Somerset Investors Corporation (Somerset), dba Somerset Mortgage Bankers, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved direct endorsement lender located in Melville, NY. The audit objectives were to determine whether Somerset (1) originated FHA-insured refinanced loans in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/FHA and (2) conducted quality control reviews that complied with...

We completed the fourteenth audit report in our ongoing review of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation’s (the auditee) administration of the $2.783 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Assistance funds provided to the State of New York in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. During the audit period, April 1 through September 30, 2009, the auditee...

We performed a review of the New York City Housing Authority’s (Authority) capacity to administer the approximately $423 million in capital funds awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) in support of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) goal to report on Recovery Act recipients’ capacity to administer funds received. The objective of the review was to determine whether the Authority’s general,...

We audited the Housing Authority of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma (Authority) due to a U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) request. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority expended its Indian Housing Block Grant (grant) program funds in accordance with HUD rules and regulations. While the Authority has improved since HUD’s fiscal year 2006 monitoring review, it still needs additional improvement. Because...

As part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) obligation to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) funds, we performed a capacity review to assess the Syracuse Housing Authority’s (Authority) administration of its capital funding program. The Authority was awarded $4.5 million in capital funds under the Recovery Act. Our objective was to evaluate the Authority...