As part of our mission to safeguard the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) programs from fraud, waste, and abuse, and to identify opportunities for HUD programs to progress and succeed, we selected Colorado for a review of potential improper payments.  Our audit objective was to determine whether Colorado made improper non-Federal match activity payments.  We also assessed whether the Office of Community…

We found that the photovoltaic systems (PV) and water tanks installed in participant’s homes had deficiencies.  Such deficiencies included inverters and batteries with signs of rust; water intrusion that could lead to electrical shorts; electrical conduits that were degrading due to direct exposure to the sun; electrical conduits with water; and water tanks that were leaking, overflowing, or both.  Based on statistical…

We audited the Government National Mortgage Association’s (Ginnie Mae) management of its portfolio of federally guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (MBS).  We initiated this audit because of our internal monitoring of the Ginnie Mae portfolio as well as the issuance of a Financial Stability Oversight Council report in 2024 on the rising risks presented by nonbank mortgage companies.  Our audit objective was to assess Ginnie…

Fraud poses a significant risk to the integrity of federal programs and erodes public trust in government.  For the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) disaster recovery programs, fraud results in communities and individuals not receiving needed assistance to recover from and mitigate future disasters.  Departments are required by law to develop and maintain governance structures, controls, and processes…

Beginning in 2021, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted several audits to assess HUD’s anti-fraud efforts and to develop inventories of fraud risks for several of its programs.  Our previous work found that HUD’s fraud risk management program was in its early stages of development and we recommended that HUD perform program-specific fraud risk assessments and…

This disaster recovery biannual report and subsequent annual reports will provide curated information regarding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its grantees’ use of the more than $109 billion in disaster recovery funds approved by Congress since the 2001 World Trade Center attack, as well as information on new or completed HUD OIG oversight work related to HUD’s disaster recovery program.  HUD’s…

We audited New York State’s Hurricane Sandy disaster procurement processes.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the State conducted its Hurricane Sandy-funded disaster recovery procurements using full, fair, and open competition methods.  By continuing to use a November 2012 Governor-issued temporary waiver, the State did not foster open competition and ensure that it obtained the best services at the best prices.…

This inaugural disaster recovery biannual report and subsequent reports will provide curated information regarding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and its grantees’ use of the more than $109 billion in disaster recovery funds approved by Congress since the 2001 World Trade Center attack, as well as information on new or completed HUD OIG oversight work related to HUD’s disaster recovery program.HUD’s…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers billions in presidentially declared disaster recovery grants through its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.  We audited five non-State grantees to assess whether they are on track to spend their remaining grant funds on eligible activities that benefit program participants within a reasonable amount of time.  We also wanted to…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Multifamily Housing Programs’ monitoring of civil rights compliance.  Robust monitoring for civil rights compliance is critical to HUD’s goals to support underserved communities.  Our audit objective was to assess the extent to which HUD monitored civil rights compliance in its program activities.HUD and performance-based contract…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Community Planning and Development’s (CPD) monitoring of grantees’ compliance with civil rights requirements. Our audit focused on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). Our audit objective was to assess the extent to which CPD monitored civil rights compliance in its program activities.CPD could…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG) is auditing the use of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds as non-Federal match for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA)Public Assistance Program.  Our objectives are to determine whether four CDBG-DR grantees made improper payments and whether the Office of Community Planning and…

We audited the project activity status for 12 grantees that received funds under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) National Disaster Resilience (NDR) grant to determine whether the grantees have accomplished or are on track to accomplish the goals of the activities outlined in their action plans. We found that NDR grantees should be able to accomplish their…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s (FHEO) challenges in completing housing discrimination investigations within 100 days.  We initiated the audit due to the number of investigations reported in FHEO’s annual reports to Congress that exceeded 100 days.  Our objective was to survey and assess the challenges FHEO faces in completing…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD or Department) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s (FHEO) process for conducting civil rights compliance reviews.  FHEO’s operational readiness to carry out robust compliance reviews is critical to HUD’s goals to advance equity and support underserved communities.  Our objective was to survey and assess challenges FHEO faced in conducting…

We reviewed the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (PRDOH) Electrical Power System Enhancements and Improvements programs to provide (1) background and funding information, (2) an update on the status of the programs and their progress, and (3) other relevant program information for interested stakeholders including Congress and the public. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided its grantee, PRDOH, $…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s, implementation of Executive Order 13988, which President Biden issued to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.  We performed this audit to assess HUD’s progress in developing an action plan to implement the executive order.  Our audit objective was to…

We audited the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority’s (PRHFA) Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA), which provides eligible applicants with closing costs and downpayment assistance for the purchase of a primary residence.  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided its grantee, the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH), $495 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds for HBA…

In January 2017, HUD awarded the City $141.2 million in Community Development Block Grant National Disaster Resilience grant funding for disaster resilience. HUD designed the grant to give states flexibility in planning program activities and help state and local communities recover from past disasters, while also improving their infrastructure to withstand future extreme events through strategic community investments.  The City…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI).  We conducted this audit to help HUD determine whether the education and outreach provided was going to the people who have been systematically denied full housing opportunity.  Our audit objective was to assess how FHIP…