We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to strengthen its controls over purchases to ensure compliance with HUD, Federal, and Authority procurement requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, controls to ensure that it (1) maintains records sufficient to detail the significant history of procurements, (2) complies with requirements for each type of procurement, (3) obtains independent cost estimates and performs cost or price analyses when required, and (4) prevents and detects conflict-of-interest situations.
Publication Report
2018-NY-1006 | September 26, 2018
The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, Buffalo, NY, Did Not Administer Its Operating Funds in Accordance With Requirements
We audited the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority based on our risk analysis of public housing agencies that fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Buffalo, NY, field office. The objective of… moreRelated Recommendations
Public and Indian Housing
- Status2018-NY-1006-001-AOpenClosedClosed on September 22, 2020$583,920.00Questioned 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.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to provide documentation to show that the $583,920 paid to two vendors for purchase orders below the Authority’s micropurchase limit was for prices that were reasonable or reimburse its Operating Fund from non-Federal funds for any amount that it cannot support or is not considered reasonable.
- Status2018-NY-1006-001-BOpenClosedClosed on September 28, 2020$842,931.00Questioned 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.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to provide documentation to show that $842,931 paid under five contracts was for prices that were reasonable or reimburse its Operating Fund for any amount that it cannot support or is not considered reasonable.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to provide training to its staff to ensure compliance with HUD and Federal procurement requirements.
- Status2018-NY-1006-002-AOpenClosedClosed on February 12, 2020$372,695.00Questioned 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.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to provide documentation to justify the $372,695 in unsupported Operating Fund subsidies received or reimburse its Operating Fund from non-Federal funds for any amount it cannot support.
- Status2018-NY-1006-002-BOpenClosedClosed on February 12, 2020$8,564.00Questioned 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.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to provide documentation to justify $8,564 in excessive property management fees charged by the COCC or reimburse its Operating Fund from non-Federal funds for any amount it cannot support.
- Status2018-NY-1006-002-COpenClosedClosed on February 12, 2020$82,907.00Questioned 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.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to reimburse its Operating Fund from non-Federal funds $82,907 for 16 document management services contract payments that should have been paid with COCC funds.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to strengthen its controls to ensure that operating funds are requested, received, and used in accordance with HUD, Federal, and Authority requirements.
We recommend that the Acting Director of HUD’s Buffalo Office of Public Housing require the Authority to provide training to employees involved in the funding and expenditure processes to ensure compliance with HUD, Federal, and Authority requirements
General Counsel
We also recommend that the Director of HUD’s Departmental Enforcement Center evaluate the apparent conflict-of-interest situations in this report and pursue administrative sanctions if warranted.