Support that landlords gave preference in renting six vacant units to families with children under 6 years of age or reimburse its Program $41,240 from non-Federal funds for the lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities completed at these assisted units.
Publication Report
2018-CH-1010 | September 30, 2018
The City of Chicago’s Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, Did Not Administer Its Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program in Accordance With HUD’s and Its Own Requirements
We audited the City of Chicago’s Department of Public Health’s (Department) Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program based on our analysis of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy… moreRelated Recommendations
Lead Hazard Control
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-AOpenClosedClosed on February 11, 2022$387,443.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Support that grant administration services paid were cost reasonable or reimburse its Program $387,443 from non-Federal funds.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-BOpenClosedClosed on February 03, 2022$204,138.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Reimburse its Program $102,069 from non-Federal funds for the duplicate payments made to its subcontractor for lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-COpenClosedClosed on November 04, 2021$88,258.00Funds Put to Better Use
Recommendations that funds be put to better use estimate funds that could be used more efficiently. For example, recommendations that funds be put to better use could result in reductions in spending, deobligation of funds, or avoidance of unnecessary spending.
Coordinate with HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to determine whether $88,258 in Program funds ($77,597 $10,661) may be drawn down and used to reimburse its subcontractor if the lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities are determined to be eligible.
Determine whether the subcontractor is owed payment for 21 units, which the Department’s records showed were assisted under the Program but were not identified as assisted units according to documentation maintained by the Department to support its drawdowns from HUD’s LOCCS. If the Department determines that the subcontractor is owed payment for the lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities, it should provide support that the lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities were eligible and that the subcontractor was not reimbursed for these activities from non-Program funds. If these conditions have been met, the Department should reimburse the subcontractor from Program funds.
Determine whether appropriate reimbursements were made to the subcontractor for the remaining 166 assisted units that were not a part of our review. If the Department determines that appropriate reimbursements were not made, it should provide support that the lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities are Program eligible and the subcontractor was not reimbursed for these activities from non-Program funds. If these conditions have been met, the Department should reimburse the subcontractor from Program funds.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-FOpenClosedClosed on February 03, 2022$119,766.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Support that the four households residing in assisted units were income eligible or reimburse its Program $59,883 from non-Federal funds for the lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities completed in the assisted units.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-HOpenClosedClosed on May 19, 2022$23,857.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Support that lead-based paint hazard control activities were necessary at 13 assisted units or reimburse its Program $23,857 from non-Federal funds for the unsupported lead-based paint hazard control activities completed at these assisted units.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-IOpenClosedClosed on November 04, 2021$2,900.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Reimburse its Program $2,900 from non-Federal funds for the two units in which the seven windows were not installed.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-JOpenClosedClosed on November 04, 2021$17,507.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A] resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B] that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost]; or (C] that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Transfer $17,507 in non-Federal funds to its Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and use the funds in accordance with the program grant requirements since these funds were not recaptured after the four assisted units were sold within 3 years.
- Status2018-CH-1010-001-KOpenClosedClosed on November 16, 2021$297,924.00Funds Put to Better Use
Recommendations that funds be put to better use estimate funds that could be used more efficiently. For example, recommendations that funds be put to better use could result in reductions in spending, deobligation of funds, or avoidance of unnecessary spending.
Execute agreements with owners of the assisted units detailing the Department’s recapture policy and determine whether liens should be filed with the appropriate government office to ensure that Program funds used to assist the units are properly protected and able to be recaptured if assisted units are resold within 3 years. These protections should ensure that $297,924 in Program funds is adequately protected.
Implement adequate procedures and controls to ensure that (1) contracts are properly procured in accordance with HUD’s requirements, (2) annual income is properly calculated for households residing in assisted units, (3) the appropriate reimbursement payments are made to the subcontractor for lead-based paint and other health hazard control activities, (4) lead inspection results properly support lead-based paint hazard control activities, (5) it complies with its work plan regarding executing agreements with property owners and determining whether other mechanisms are needed to enforce the agreements. This measure would ensure that future Program funds are protected, and (6) accurate and complete information regarding assisted units is reported to HUD.
Develop and implement adequate procedures and controls to ensure that assisted rental units are prioritized for families with children under 6 years of age.