The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General conducted a limited scope internal review of Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (Healthy Homes) to determine whether Healthy Homes allowed excessive administrative costs to be charged to the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control grant program. This review was the result of the audit of the Washington State Lead Hazard Control grant (2012-SE-1005,…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the Washington State Department of Commerce to determine whether it complied with Lead Hazard Control grant project eligibility, matching contribution, administrative cost, and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act reporting requirements. This audit is part of the national mandate to monitor grant activities funded by the Recovery Act. We selected…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General audited the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Commerce’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2011 annual audit plan. We selected the State for review based on a citizen’s complaint forwarded to our office from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General audited the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control’s monitoring of its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grant recipients. The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2011 annual audit plan. We selected Healthy Homes for audit based upon an internal audit suggestion regarding Healthy Homes’ monitoring of its grant recipients…

We audited the underwriting of a $45.6 million mortgage loan that was acquired by Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage, Inc. (the Lender) to rehabilitate Wingate Towers and Garden Apartments. The audit was performed based on a request from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Multifamily Development. The Lender acquired and became responsible for the loan origination activities, personnel, books and records…

HUD OIG conducted an evaluation of HUD's Departmental Enforcement Center (DEC), specifically, the Compliance Division. We wanted to know whether DEC processed suspension and debarment referrals in a timely manner. We also wanted to identify ways to improve case management for suspensions and debarments. Between October 1, 2006, and December 9, 2009, the Compliance Division received a total of 978 suspension and/or debarment referrals (cases)…

We performed an audit of HUD's Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC) grant program for Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration (LHRD). Our audit was initiated based on a complaint to the hotline alleging that the managers of OHHLHC changed the scores assigned by the application review panel to award grants to applicants that were not ranked high enough to receive funding under the 2009 NOFA. Our objective was to determine…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control’s (OHHLHC) selection procedures used to award American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) grants. Our objective was to determine whether OHHLHC awarded (1) Recovery Act funds in accordance with the selection criteria specified in the fiscal year 2008 notices of funding availability (notices) and the Recovery Act…

As part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) obligation to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) funds, we performed a capacity review to assess the City of Utica, New York’s (City) administration of its lead-based paint hazard control program. The City was awarded $2.04 million under the Recovery Act to carry out lead-based paint hazard control activities in…

We reviewed the front-end risk assessment (assessment) for the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC) for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Recovery Act appropriated $100 million to the lead hazard control program. Our review of the assessment for OHHLHC determined that while OHHLHC generally complied with the Recovery Act, HUD’s Streamlined FERA Process and the Departmental Management Control…

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Timothy J. Oravec, age 59, of Poughkeepsie, New York, was arrested today on charges that he defrauded the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and some of its employees by falsely claiming to have cancer, and obtaining and using leave time donated to him by his colleagues. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge for HUD’s…

Testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Investigation of HUD Lobbying Activities February 26, 2014 - 10:00 a.m., Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2128

The Lead Disclosure Rule requires landlords to provide disclosures concerning lead paint to prospective tenants in “target housing,” which includes most houses constructed before 1978.