The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Alabama in the civil investigation of Guardian Pest Services, Inc., doing business as Knox Pest Control and J.J.S.K. Solutions, Inc.  Knox Pest Control has its principal place of business in Columbus, GA.  A HUD home is a one-to-four unit residential property acquired by HUD as…

We audited the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority’s implementation of the Federal Housing Administration’s Home Affordable Modification Program (FHA-HAMP).  We selected the Authority because (1) our data analysis showed that the Authority had the highest ratio of FHA-HAMP actions to delinquent loans within the jurisdiction of our regional office, (2) the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office located in Atlanta,…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG) assisted in an investigation into alleged violations of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) regulations by Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corporation and Home America Mortgage, Inc.  The investigation included a qui tam action filed under the False Claims Act in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  The False…

We conducted a review of 20 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans underwritten by Pine State Mortgage Corporation (Pine State), an FHA direct endorsement lender. This review was conducted as part of our “Operation Watchdog” initiative to review the underwriting of 15 direct endorsement lenders at the suggestion of the FHA Commissioner. The Commissioner expressed concern regarding the increasing claim rates against the FHA insurance fund for…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, audited National Bank of Kansas City (National Bank). Our audit objectives were to determine whether National Bank followed Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requirements for (1) borrower eligibility and creditworthiness and property eligibility when underwriting loans and (2) implementing a quality control program. National Bank did not follow HUD…

HUD OIG performed an audit of Mortgage Counseling Services, Inc., a Federal Housing Administration approved non-supervised lender. The review was performed based on the lender’s high default rates. The purpose of the audit was to determine whether the lender followed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) requirements for (1) borrower eligibility and creditworthiness and property eligibility when underwriting loans and (2…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, reviewed 23 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans originated by CTX Mortgage's Overland Park, Kansas, branch office. Our audit objectives were to determine whether CTX Mortgage followed U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements for (1) borrower eligibility and creditworthiness and property eligibility when underwriting…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, audited the Leawood, Kansas, branch office of Clarion Mortgage Capital, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved loan correspondent. Our audit objective was to determine whether Clarion Mortgage Capital followed HUD requirements for implementing a quality control program. We concluded that Clarion Mortgage Capital did not fully comply with HUD's…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General reviewed 23 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans underwritten by Peoples Bank of Overland Park , Kansas . Our audit objectives were to determine whether Peoples Bank followed HUD requirements for (1) borrower eligibility and creditworthiness and property eligibility when underwriting loans and (2) implementing a quality control program. We concluded that…

HUD OIG audited Meridian Lending, Inc., a Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved direct endorsement lender. The objectives were to determine whether it followed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) requirements for (1) borrower eligibility and creditworthiness and property eligibility when underwriting loans and (2) implementing a quality control program. Meridian did not follow HUD requirements in originating…