We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s (FHEO) challenges in completing housing discrimination investigations within 100 days.  We initiated the audit due to the number of investigations reported in FHEO’s annual reports to Congress that exceeded 100 days.  Our objective was to survey and assess the challenges FHEO faces in completing investigations within…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD or Department) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s (FHEO) process for conducting civil rights compliance reviews.  FHEO’s operational readiness to carry out robust compliance reviews is critical to HUD’s goals to advance equity and support underserved communities.  Our objective was to survey and assess challenges FHEO faced in conducting compliance…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s, implementation of Executive Order 13988, which President Biden issued to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.  We performed this audit to assess HUD’s progress in developing an action plan to implement the executive order.  Our audit objective was to determine whether…

We audited the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights’ fair housing complaint intake process.  We initiated this audit based on an internal risk assessment of Fair Housing Assistance Program agencies’ challenges.  Our audit objectives were to (1) determine the extent to which the Commission processed fair housing inquiries within 30 days and (2) evaluate its reasons for closing fair housing inquiries.We were unable to determine the extent…

We determined that FHEO could provide more guidance related to FHEO’s performance assessment process to improve its oversight of State and local fair housing enforcement agencies participating in FHAP.  The FHAP Division has provided guidance that FHEO regional staff responsible for monitoring and overseeing FHAP agency performance (HUD reviewers) does not consistently follow.  Additionally, although all HUD reviewers work from the…

Twenty-two Promise Zones were selected through three rounds of national competition. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), oversees 14 urban Promise Zones, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees 8 rural and tribal Promise Zones. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) tasked HUD and USDA to lead the Promise Zone initiative and play essential roles in gathering information about progress in Promise Zones…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of Private Enforcement Initiative grants awarded under its Fair Housing Initiatives program as part of our annual audit plan. Our objective was to determine whether HUD performed monitoring to ensure that enforcement grant funds were spent in compliance with grant terms and program requirements. HUD monitoring generally covered procedures required to ensure that…

We audited the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s (grantee) compliance with provisions in its Fair Housing Initiatives Program grant agreement with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The audit was conducted based on a congressional request, which raised questions regarding the grantee’s compliance with conflict-of-interest provisions in its grant agreement with HUD. Our objective was to determine whether the…

We performed a limited scope audit of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to determine whether the Office complied with the requirements of 42 U.S.C. (United States Code) Chapter 45, Subpart I, Section, 3616a(d), entitled Fair Housing Intiatives Program, Education and Outreach, when it published the 2007 Fair Housing Initiatives Program notice of funding availability. The audit disclosed that the Office generally complied with the…

We audited the Housing Authority of the City of Gary's (Authority) Section 8 housing program. The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2005 annual audit plan. We selected the Authority based upon a risk analysis the identified it as having a high risk Section 8 housing program. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Authority managed its Section 8 program in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban…

NEWARK, N.J. – The Department of Justice announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that the owner of rental properties in Elizabeth, New Jersey, violated the Fair Housing Act by subjecting tenants to sexual harassment, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced. The complaint alleges that Joseph Centanni, who owns hundreds of rental units in and around Elizabeth, has subjected tenants and applicants to sexual harassment on multiple…

Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney John H. Durham today announced that the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have filed a lawsuit in the District of Connecticut alleging that female tenants and applicants of residential rental properties in and around New London, Connecticut, were subjected to sexual harassment, coercion, intimidation and threats,…