We audited the State of Florida’s Housing Repair and Replacement Program (HRRP), one of the programs that the State developed to address its unmet disaster recovery housing needs because of Hurricane Irma in 2017.  We audited this program due to the large amount of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding allocated of $346.2 million.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the State administered its…

We audited the Palm Beach County Housing Authority in West Palm Beach, FL, based on concerns raised by news articles stating that the Authority dismissed its former executive director because of financial misconduct and ethical violations.  The concerns included bonuses paid and payments for contracted services.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the Authority spent U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)…

We audited Summit Construction and Environmental Services, LLC, because we received an anonymous complaint alleging that Summit Construction (1) did not perform lead-based paint evaluations in a timely manner, (2) did not produce adequate lead-based paint inspection reports in accordance with applicable requirements, and (3) showed favoritism toward certain contractors performing lead-paint inspections.  Our objective was to determine…

We audited the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s use of public housing operating and capital funds because (1) we received a hotline complaint alleging that the Authority mismanaged its procurement activities and improperly awarded an internet services contract for more than $200,000 without receiving competitive bids and (2) we had never audited the Authority.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the Authority…

We audited the Little Rock Housing Authority’s Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (RAD program).  We initiated this assignment due to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Little Rock Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) field office’s concern about the amount of funds that the Authority had spent on RAD program predevelopment costs.  HUD designated the Authority as “troubled” mainly due to its…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), assisted the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington in the civil investigation of Universal American Mortgage Company, LLC.  Our investigation was ongoing when a qui tam action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.  Universal…

We audited the Civic Towers, LLLP, and Civic Towers Senior, LLLP, Section 8 project-based housing assistance payment (HAP) program.  We selected the Civic Towers and Civic Towers Senior Section 8 project-based properties for review based on a referral from our Office of Investigation regarding a potential duplication of benefits between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (…

We reviewed the State of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.  We selected the State of Florida in accordance with our goal to review disaster funding and based on a congressional request for us to conduct disaster capacity reviews for recent disasters, including Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew, and Irma.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the…

We audited the Pinellas County Housing Authority’s Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (RAD) conversion to the Section 8 Project-Based Voucher program and compliance after the conversion.  We selected the Authority for review in keeping with the goals of our annual audit plan.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority administered its RAD conversion in compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (…

We audited the City of Margate’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grants 1 and 3 in accordance with our audit plan to improve the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) execution of and accountability for grant funds.  In addition, HUD requested that we review this auditee because a forensic investigation initiated by the City found issues with record keeping, misappropriation of funds, and overages regarding City…

We audited the City of Jacksonville, FL’s HOME Investment Partnerships program as part of the activities in our annual audit plan.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the City administered its HOME program in accordance with applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements.  Specifically, we evaluated whether the City (1) properly supported HOME commitments in the Integrated Disbursement and…

We audited the Loudoun County Department of Family Services’ Housing Choice Voucher program because (1) we received a complaint alleging housing quality standards problems with a housing unit participating in the County’s program, (2) the County had 688 vouchers and received more than $6.4 million in fiscal year 2016, and (3) we had not audited its program.  Our audit objective was to determine whether the County ensured that its Housing…

We reviewed the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust’s Continuum of Care Program because our office had not audited this entity.  In addition, this assignment was in accordance with our annual audit plan and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) 2014-2018 strategic objective to end homelessness.  Our objective was to determine whether the Trust ensured that Program funds were used for eligible activities and…

We audited the Yorkville Cooperative’s administration of its U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-insured property and housing assistance contract based on a complaint alleging that the Cooperative (1) spent excessive amounts for maintenance and repairs and (2) did not recertify tenants in a timely manner.  Our objective was to determine whether the Cooperative administered its HUD-insured property and housing assistance…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Miami-Dade NSP Consortium more than $89.3 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) 2 funds.  We audited two of the consortium members, Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida, the lead member, and the Urban League of Greater Miami, in accordance with our annual audit plan.  The audit objective was to determine whether the two members used NSP2…

We audited the Broward County Housing Authority’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program as part of the activities in our fiscal year 2016 annual audit plan.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority administered its program in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) and its own requirements. The Authority did not always comply with HUD’s requirements and its own administrative policies…

We audited P.K. Management Group, Inc. (PKMG), a contracted field service manager in HUD’s real estate-owned Management and Marketing III program, as part of the activities included in our 2016 annual audit plan and because it was the sole contractor performing property preservation and protection services for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-acquired properties located in Illinois in Region’s 5 jurisdiction.  Our…

We audited the fees that the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority charged to its U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing programs for central office cost center services based on issues identified during our prior audit of the Authority.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority charged fees to its HUD housing programs for central office cost center services that were eligible, reasonable, and…

We audited the City of Miami Beach’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in accordance with our annual audit plan because it had projects overseen by the same administration questioned in our audit of the City’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program. In addition, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Miami Office of Community Planning and Development ranked the City as high risk in its 2015 risk assessment. Our…

We audited the City of Miami Beach’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program, in accordance with our annual audit plan, because (1) the Miami U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Community Planning and Development ranked the City as high risk in its 2015 risk assessment and (2) HUD’s onsite monitoring review identified concerns with the City’s administration of the HOME program.  Our objective was to determine…