Update the PAR template to ensure that HUD reviewers include required information.

Assess HUD reviewers’ skills and readiness to determine the appropriate frequency of training.

Provide more detailed guidance to HUD reviewers and FHEO regional directors on when and under what circumstances to recommend or issue a PIP.

Update HUD Handbook 8024.01, REV-2, and regional intake policies and procedures as necessary to include (1) minimum requirements that all regions follow for documenting in HEMS attempts to reach out to claimants when additional information is needed before closing inquiries; (2) policies and procedures for collecting, recording, and documenting all relevant electronic intake information in HEMS; and (3) clarifying that communications with claimants regarding inquiry closure, requests for additional information, and notices of jurisdiction information clearly inform the claimant of the ability to provide additional information within the statute of limitations.

Develop a process to oversee housing discrimination allegations that FHAP agencies close and do not submit to HUD for dual-filing to ensure that the closure and jurisdictional determinations are consistent with the Fair Housing Act. To help address this recommendation, HUD should consider requiring FHAP agencies to enter data on closed inquiries in HEMS and make updates to FHAP agreements as necessary.

Update applicable requirements to require assisted property owners, including PHAs, to maintain adequate documentation to support their determinations that maintenance and hazard reduction activities that disturb surfaces with lead-based paint qualify for the de minimis exemption from the lead-safe work practices under the Lead Safe Housing Rule.

Status

To address this recommendation, The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) agreed to:                                                                                                                      
1. Issue a notice to assisted target housing owners and public housing agencies on the de minimis exception citing the correct application of the de minimis threshold; describing appropriate documentation methods for the application of the de minimis threshold; and recommendations of best practices for documenting applications.
2. Collect additional data regarding the use of the de minimis threshold, including information on how private and public housing owners: (a) determine how much paint in target housing will be disturbed during a maintenance or rehabilitation project; (b) use the paint disturbance area information; (c) monitor the amount of paint disturbed in projects that are designed to disturb de minimis amounts of paint in target housing.
3. Design and conduct webinars, including at least one for each program office’s major categories of stakeholders on requirements and best practices pertaining to the de minimis exception under the Lead Safe Housing Rule and its implementation; record the webinars on the HUD website (e.g., on HUD Exchange) for future viewing by stakeholders; and conduct outreach promoting the webinars. 
The OLHCHH had drafted guidance on the de minimis exception to the Lead Safe Housing Rule for PIH, Multifamily Housing, and CPD and submitted it through the clearance process in September 2024.  As of January 2026, OLHCHH continues to revise the draft guidance in consideration of the comments it received during the clearance review process.  However, HUD has not provided an updated target date to complete the agreed upon actions, which was January 31, 2024.

Analysis

To implement this recommendation, HUD needs to provide evidence that it has implemented the three actions OLHCHH agreed to complete.

Implementation of this recommendation and associated corrective actions will ensure assisted property owners are sufficiently informed regarding the requirements to support their determinations that maintenance and hazard reduction activities that disturb surfaces with lead-based paint qualify for the de minimis exemption from the lead-safe work practices under the Lead Safe Housing Rule and that assisted property owners are conducting this work safely, thereby ensuring households are residing in safe and healthy HUD-assisted housing.

Provide the MOU with EPA designed to address radon contamination.

Support that healthy homes assessment and data collection services were cost reasonable or reimburse its Program $361,850 from non-Federal funds.

Support that landlords gave preference in renting eight vacant units to families with children under 6 years of age or reimburse its Program $112,917 from non-Federal funds for the lead-based paint hazard control activities completed at these assisted units.

Support that lead-based paint hazard control activities were necessary at 19 assisted units or reimburse its Program $70,266 from non-Federal funds for the unsupported lead-based paint hazard control activities completed at these assisted units

Coordinate with HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to determine whether $51,930 in healthy homes supplemental funds used for four units in excess of $5,000 per unit was for eligible activities. If the activities are deemed ineligible, the Department should reimburse its Program the appropriate amount from non-Federal funds.

Support that one household residing in an assisted unit was income eligible or reimburse its Program $19,500 from non-Federal funds for the lead-based paint hazard control activities completed in the assisted unit.

Implement adequate procedures and controls to ensure that (1) documentation is maintained to support that contracted services are cost reasonable, (2) landlords give preference in renting assisted vacant units to families with children under 6 years of age, (3) lead inspection documentation properly supports lead-based paint hazard control activities, (4) HUD approval is obtained when more than $5,000 per unit in healthy homes supplemental funds is budgeted to assist units, and (5) its staff is fully knowledgeable of the Program requirements.

Deobligate all obligations marked for deobligation during the departmentwide OOR, including as much as $168,198 in 29 obligations marked for deobligation as of September 30, 2018.

Review the five identified retained inactive obligations with remaining balances totaling $110,224 and close out and deobligate amounts tied to obligations that are no longer valid or needed.

Review the one identified retained inactive obligation with a remaining balance totaling $60,395 and deobligate amounts that are no longer valid or needed.

Support that grant administration services paid were cost reasonable or reimburse its Program $387,443 from non-Federal funds.

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.

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.