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 Read More

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.

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.

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.

Provide adequate documentation to support that the $71,034 spent for improperly procured goods and services was spent at the most competitive prices. For any amounts not supported, it should reimburse its program from non-Federal funds.

Provide adequate documentation to support $15,280 spent for maintenance activities. For any amounts not supported, it should reimburse its program from non-Federal funds.

Develop and implement detailed operating procedures, including checklists, which fully implement its procurement policy and HUD requirements.

Ensure that its executive director obtains appropriate procurement training.

Work with the Authority to develop a formalized process, such as a checklist, to use when conducting initial certifications and annual recertifications, which would help to ensure that it follows HUD requirements for its public housing program.

Require the Authority’s executive director to obtain appropriate training regarding public housing occupancy requirements.

Require the Authority to conduct a 100 percent review of its tenant files to ensure that tenants’ rents are accurate and the proper income, asset, and medical expenses are complete and documented in the tenant files.

Monitor the Authority after the recommended training and tenant file reviews are complete to ensure that the executive director understands and properly implements public housing occupancy requirements.

Require the Authority to address actual or potential conflict-of-interest relationships in its Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy.

Work with the Authority to develop a plan to ensure that a third party reviews the initial tenant certifications and annual recertifications with an actual or potential conflict of interest.

Ensure that the Authority’s board of commissioners and staff receive HUD-approved training on conflicts of interest.

Monitor the Authority to ensure that initial tenant certifications and annual recertifications with an actual or potential conflict of interest are appropriately handled.

Require the Authority to develop and implement detailed policies and procedures to address collections, tracking, and use of its laundry machine revenue.

Require the Authority to determine how much laundry machine revenue was not deposited into its accounts and used for eligible purposes and reimburse its program from non-Federal funds.

Monitor the Authority to ensure compliance with its new laundry machine revenue policies.

We recommend that the director of HUD’s Detroit Office of Public Housing require the Commission to provide documentation to support the $206,224 in unsupported program disbursements cited in this finding or reimburse its program from nonfederal funds for the applicable amount.