The Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority’s Administration of Its Non-Federal Match Program Had Weaknesses
We audited the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority’s Non-Federal Match Program for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. This Match Program was developed to assist non-Federal entities in paying for their share of projects that addressed unmet needs because of the 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria. We initiated this audit due to the $415 million of CDBG-DR funds allocated by the Authority and to…
June 12, 2023
Report
#2023-FW-1002
Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Ineffectively Monitored CDBG-DR Activities
We audited the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority’s monitoring of its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)-funded activities. We initiated the audit because of the large amount of CDBG-DR funds awarded to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the 2017 disasters and to aid in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) strategic objective to support effectiveness and accountability in long-term disaster…
June 12, 2023
Report
#2023-FW-1003
The City of Mesa, AZ, Did Not Administer Its Community Development Block Grant in Accordance With HUD Requirements
We audited the City of Mesa’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program based on (1) a hotline complaint alleging CDBG noncompliance; (2) a prior U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, audit (2011-LA-1006), which determined that the City needed to improve how it administered its Neighborhood Stabilization Program 1 funds; and (3) our objective to promote fiscal responsibility and financial…
April 13, 2020
Report
#2020-LA-1003
The City of Albuquerque, NM, Did Not Administer Its Community Development Block Grant Program in Accordance With Requirements
We audited the City of Albuquerque’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program based on our risk analysis and as part of the Office of Inspector General’s annual audit plan to review community planning and development funds. The audit objective was to determine whether the City administered its CDBG program in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements.
The City did not always properly…
August 16, 2017
Report
#2017-FW-1010
DHI Mortgage Company Ltd., Settled Allegations of Making False Certifications Regarding Federal Housing Administration Loans
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), referred alleged violations to HUD’s Office of Program Enforcement for action under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act based on two audits of DHI Mortgage Company Ltd. (DHIM) that found it did not follow HUD requirements when it underwrote Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans with prohibited restrictive addenda to the purchase…
September 29, 2016
Memorandum
#2016-LA-1802
The Virgin Islands Housing Authority, St. Thomas, VI, Did Not Adequately Enforce HUD’s Housing Quality Standards
We audited the Virgin Islands Housing Authority’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program’s housing quality standards as part of the activities in our fiscal year 2015 audit plan. We selected the Authority because it had a large program receiving more than $14 million in 2014. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Authority’s inspection process adequately ensured that its units complied with housing quality standards.
The…
December 07, 2015
Report
#2016-AT-1001
The Owner of Coconut Grove Apartments Did Not Always Operate Its HUD-Insured Project in Accordance With HUD Rules and Requirements
We audited Coconut Grove Apartments due to concerns expressed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Multifamily Housing Programs regarding the management of the project. The main concern was that the owner may have diverted project funds for nonproject expenses. Our audit objective was to determine whether Coconut Grove’s owner operated its Sections 223(f) and 241(a)-insured multifamily rental…
September 22, 2015
Report
#2015-LA-1008
The Mesilla Valley Public Housing Authority, Las Cruces, NM, Miscalculated Housing Choice Vouchers and Incorrectly Paid Rental Assistance
At the request of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Public Housing in Albuquerque, NM, we conducted a review of the Mesilla Valley Public Housing Authority. The Office of Public Housing estimated that the Authority could lose nearly $1 million by the end of 2014 because it had leased only 983 of its 1,607 vouchers. Our objectives were to determine the extent, cause, and impact of not leasing all…
August 17, 2015
Report
#2015-FW-1004
NOVA Financial & Investment Corporation’s FHA-Insured Loans With Downpayment Assistance Gifts Did Not Always Meet HUD Requirements
We audited NOVA Financial & Investment Corporation based on a referral from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Quality Assurance Division detailing a separate lender that originated Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans that contained ineligible downpayment assistance gifts. The HUD Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) analysis identified NOVA as a lender with the highest origination volume in the…
July 09, 2015
Report
#2015-LA-1005
Virgin Islands Community AIDS Resource & Education, Inc., Did Not Administer Its Program in Accordance With HUD Requirements
We audited Virgin Islands Community AIDS Resource & Education, Inc.’s (VICARE) Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program. This audit was the result of a referral from the San Juan Office of Community Planning and Development. The objective of the audit was to determine whether VICARE spent HOPWA funds in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements and for eligible…
July 02, 2015
Report
#2015-AT-1004
Final Civil Action – Borrower Settled Allegations of Not Complying With the Primary Residence Requirement of the Federal Housing Administration Program
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…
March 27, 2015
Memorandum
#2015-CF-1804
The City of Albuquerque, NM, Generally Administered Its Continuum of Care Program in Accordance With Applicable HUD Regulations and Grant Agreements
We reviewed the City of Albuquerque, Department of Family and Community Services’ Continuum of Care program. We initiated the review based on a complaint alleging misconduct in the City’s program. Specifically, the complainant alleged the City’s Continuum of Care failed to comply with conflict of interest and procurement requirements, did not maintain accurate Homeless Management Information System reports, and expended funds for…
January 12, 2015
Memorandum
#2015-FW-1803
Southwest Stage Funding, LLC, dba Cascade Financial Services, Took Corrective Action on Loans That Did Not Meet All HUD and FHA Requirements
We reviewed Southwest Stage Funding, LLC, dba Cascade Financial Services, in Gilbert, AZ. We selected Southwest Stage because it originated 1,841 loans totaling more than $244 million during calendar years 2012 and 2013. Further, it had received more loan endorsements on manufactured housing loans than any other lender in Texas since January 1, 2009. Our objective was to determine whether the lender complied with U.S.…
July 23, 2014
Memorandum
#2014-FW-1803
The White Mountain Apache Housing Authority Did Not Always Comply With Its Indian Housing Block Grant Requirements
We audited the White Mountain Apache Housing Authority’s Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG). We conducted the audit primarily due to concerns raised by HUD’s Southwest Office of Native American Programs regarding the Authority’s financial management practices. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Authority used its IHBG funds in accordance with HUD requirements.
The Authority failed to use its IHBG funds in…
July 08, 2014
Report
#2014-LA-1004
The Truth or Consequences Housing Authority’s Financial Controls Were Not Adequate To Ensure That It Used Its Low-Rent Funds Appropriately
We audited the Truth or Consequences Housing Authority of Truth or Consequences, NM, in response to an anonymous complaint alleging that the Authority inappropriately transferred ownership of some of its properties to the New Mexico Housing and Community Development Corporation and used its assets to support the Corporation’s activities. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Authority had adequate controls to ensure that it complied…
May 27, 2014
Report
#2014-FW-1002
The Lending Company, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, Did Not Always Comply With FHA Underwriting and Quality Control Program Requirements
We audited The Lending Company, Inc., based on a hotline complaint, previous U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reviews, and our goal to improve the integrity of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single-family insurance programs. Our objectives were to determine whether The Lending Company complied with HUD requirements when it used gift programs, originated and underwrote FHA loans, and implemented its quality…
August 20, 2013
Report
#2013-LA-1008
The Executive Director and Board of Commissioners of the Grants Housing Authority, Grants, NM, Mismanaged the Authority
We audited the Grants Housing Authority located in Grants, NM, at the request of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Program Center in Albuquerque, NM. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority used its capital funds and operating funds for allowable costs, performed contracting activities in accordance with program requirements, and correctly processed and paid for Section 8 housing choice…
May 14, 2013
Report
#2013-FW-1005
Allen Mortgage, LLC, Centennial Park, AZ, Did Not Comply With HUD Requirements for Underwriting FHA Loans and Fully Implement Its Quality Control Program in Accordance With HUD’s Requirements
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General audited Allen Mortgage, Limited Liability Company, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) nonsupervised lender. We selected Allen Mortgage for audit based on its high default and claim rate for the FHA-insured loans sponsored in Region 5. Our objectives were to determine whether (1) Allen Mortgage complied with HUD’s regulations, procedures, and instructions in…
September 30, 2012
Report
#2012-CH-1015
Weststar Mortgage Corporation, Albuquerque, NM, Did Not Comply With HUD FHA Single Family Requirements for 10 Loans Reviewed
We audited Weststar Mortgage Corporation, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) nonsupervised direct endorsement lender located in Albuquerque, NM. We selected Weststar for review based on a risk assessment of lenders in New Mexico. Our objective was to determine whether Weststar complied with U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and FHA loan origination requirements for loans on which the borrowers defaulted and FHA paid…
August 02, 2012
Report
#2012-FW-1012
The City of Phoenix, AZ, Did Not Always Comply With Program Requirements When Administering Its NSP1 and NSP2 Grants
We completed a review of the City of Phoenix’s (City) Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grants NSP1 and NSP2. We performed the review because it supports the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General’s strategic plan to contribute to the oversight objectives of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the City received a $60 million grant as one of 56 NSP2 grantees. Our objective…
June 15, 2012
Report
#2012-LA-1008