We reviewed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Affordable Housing Programs’ oversight of leases in HOME Investment Partnerships Program-funded rental housing projects.  The review was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2015 annual audit plan.  Our objective was to determine whether HUD’s Office had adequate oversight of participating jurisdictions to ensure that leases between rental projects…

We completed a review of the City of New York, Office of Management and Budget’s administration of the Business Loan and Grant Program funded with Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist in the disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts resulting from Hurricane Sandy.  The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the City (1…

We audited the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino’s Shelter Plus Care program due to a public complaint alleging that the Authority disregarded U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program requirements related to participants’ eligibility.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority administered its program funds in accordance with HUD rules and requirements, specifically related to participants’…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the State of Wyoming’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program run by the Wyoming Business Council.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the State reimbursed only approved costs, its grant agreements contained all required language, it properly monitored its projects, and it ensured that projects met the national objective in…

We completed a review of First Niagara Bank’s servicing of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgages and its implementation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Loss Mitigation program.  We selected First Niagara Bank based on an Office of Inspector General risk assessment of single-family lenders.  The objective of the audit was to determine whether First Niagara Bank properly serviced FHA-…

We audited the City of Paterson, NJ’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program based on a risk analysis of the City’s program that considered the amount of funding, the risk score assigned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), our identification of potential issues, and Congress’ general interest in the HOME program.  The objective of the audit was to determine whether City officials had established and implemented…

We audited Sutton Irvine Residence, Inc.’s Section 202-funded project based on concerns expressed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of General Counsel, Departmental Enforcement Center, regarding the management of the project.  The concern was that Sutton Irvine had defaulted on its mortgage payments to HUD and may have diverted project funds for nonproject expenses.  Our audit objective was to…

We audited the City of New York, Office of Management and Budget’s administration of the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Assistance (CDBG-DR) funds awarded to the City as a result of damages caused by Hurricane Sandy.  This review was related to the disbursement of approximately $4 million in CDBG-DR funds pertaining to administration costs.   The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the City (1)…

We audited Veterans First’s Supportive Housing Program (SHP) based on a referral from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General’s Office of Investigation and a hotline complaint, alleging that Veterans First employees were directed to prepare false accounting documents.  Our objective was to determine whether expenditures Veterans First charged to its SHP grants and program fees it charged to…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the Redwood Juniper Tacoma Apartments to determine whether Redwood Juniper’s owner took an unauthorized distribution in excess of surplus cash, procured services in accordance with HUD rules and regulations, and maintained an auditable waiting list. We selected the multifamily housing project for audit because it appeared that the project owner took…

We reviewed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Community Planning and Development’s (CPD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).  We initiated the audit under the HUD Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) annual audit plan.  Our objective was to provide an overall assessment of NSP, including assessing the sufficiency of HUD’s controls and determining whether HUD had improved its controls as a…

HUD OIG assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, in the civil investigation of Group One Mortgage, Inc.  Group One’s principal place of business is located in Jupiter, FL.  Group One has participated in the FHA insurance program since 2004 and became a direct endorsement lender in 2005.  The direct endorsement program authorizes private-sector mortgage lenders to approve mortgage loans for FHA insurance…

HUD OIG assisted in an investigation into alleged violations of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) regulations applicable to the direct endorsement program by Golden First Mortgage Corporation and its owner.  Golden First is a former FHA-approved mortgage lender, with its principal place of business located in Great Neck, NY.  Golden First participated in the direct endorsement program from 1989 until 2010.  As a direct…

HUD OIG assisted the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado, in the civil investigation of MetLife Bank, N.A.  MetLife had its principal place of business in Convent Station, NJ.  MetLife became an approved direct endorsement lender under HUD’s Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program on April 5, 2007.  The direct endorsement program authorizes private-sector mortgage…

HUD OIG conducted a civil investigation of an alleged loan origination fraud scheme involving a cash-out refinance loan that was insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).  FHA provides mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders to creditworthy borrowers.  Borrowers must occupy the properties as their primary residence for at least 1 year.  Borrowers certify to their intent to occupy the property when…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the City of Minot, ND’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery program because the City was awarded more than $67 million in CDBG Disaster Recovery funds in April 2012 and an additional $35 million in May 2013.  Before our audit, the City had spent more than $26 million and $1.3 million, respectively.  In addition, we…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, audited Breakthrough Living Program based on an audit referral memorandum received from the Director of HUD’s Southwest Region, Office of Multifamily Housing Programs.  The referral cited several concerns, including the property’s unilateral withdrawal of funds from the reserve for replacement account.  Our audit objective was to determine whether…

We audited the State of Rhode Island’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) based on a risk assessment that considered the amount of funding, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) risk assessment, and HUD findings related to one of the State’s subrecipients.  Our overall audit objective was to determine whether the State properly administered the NSP and ensured that costs incurred were in accordance with HUD…

We completed a review of the Rhode Island Housing’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program based on an Office of Inspector General risk assessment of New England HOME recipients that considered the amount of funding provided and prior audit and monitoring findings.  Our audit objectives were to determine whether Rhode Island Housing officials awarded HOME funds to grantees in a reasonable and supported manner and whether HOME funds were…

We audited New Image Emergency Shelter’s Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program based on a referral from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General’s (HUD OIG) Office of Investigation and a citizen complaint, alleging that New Image lacked adequate documentation to support program expenditures and employee salaries. Our objective was to determine whether New Image administered and…