Prospect Mortgage, LLC, Sherman Oaks, CA, Did Not Always Comply With Federal Housing Administration Underwriting and Quality Control Requirements
We audited Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans underwritten by Prospect Mortgage, LLC (Prospect), within Region IV of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG). Our objective was to determine whether Prospect complied with HUD’s requirements for (1) origination and underwriting relative to cash assets, income, and creditworthiness; (2) quality controls; and (3) branch office…
July 08, 2011
Report
#2011-AT-1011
Multifamily Insured Project Saint Timothy's Tower, Compton, CA, Was Not Administered in Accordance With HUD Rules and Regulations
We reviewed the books and records of Saint Timothy’s Tower (project), a 114-unit U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-insured (Section 236) Section 8 multifamily project consisting of 1 high-rise elevator building located in Compton, CA. We initiated the review in response to a request from the Departmental Enforcement Center due to its concerns about the owner’s use of project funds. Our objective was to determine whether…
June 20, 2011
Report
#2011-LA-1011
The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven, CT, Could Not Show That It Always Complied With Environmental and Labor Standards Enforcement Requirements
We audited the Housing Authority of the City of New Haven’s (Authority) Public Housing Capital Fund (Capital Fund) and American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 Capital Fund (Recovery Act Capital Fund) projects for compliance with environmental and labor law requirements. We initiated this assignment because a previous Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit of the Authority’s Recovery Act Capital Fund activities identified a significant…
June 10, 2011
Report
#2011-BO-1008
People Assisting the Homeless, Los Angeles, CA, Did Not Always Ensure That Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Funds Were Used To Assist Eligible and Supported Participants
We audited the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) of People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) and three of its subgrantees based on the results of a separate audit of the City of Los Angeles Housing Department (Department). HPRP is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), and auditing the Recovery Act program is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of…
May 17, 2011
Report
#2011-LA-1010
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, Charged Its Recovery Act Program Without Applying Cost Reductions or Credits Related to Insurance Reimbursements
We reviewed the hazard-damaged units that the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (Authority) is rehabilitating using formula grant American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) Public Housing Capital Fund program (program) funds. We selected the Authority based upon the results of our capacity review of the Authority’s Recovery Act program (see Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit report #2011-LA-1002, issued…
May 05, 2011
Memorandum
#2011-LA-1802
Special Services for Groups, Los Angeles, CA, Approved Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program Assistance for Unsupported and Ineligible Participants
We audited the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) of Special Services for Groups (Special Services) based on the results of a separate audit of the City of Los Angeles Housing Department (Department). Special Services is a subrecipient of the Department’s HPRP. HPRP is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), and auditing Recovery Act programs is one of the U.S. Department of Housing…
April 06, 2011
Report
#2011-LA-1009
The Hawthorne Housing Authority Failed To Maintain an Adequate Financial Management System
We completed a review of the Hawthorne Housing Authority’s (Authority) Section 8 program. We performed the audit based on a recommendation from the Los Angeles U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Public Housing indicating missing and/or inadequate financial records, and because Section 8 reviews are a part of the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) annual audit plan. Our objective was to determine whether the…
March 28, 2011
Report
#2011-LA-1008
Allegations of Lutheran Social Services of Northern California's Misuse of Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program Funds Were Unsubstantiated
We audited Lutheran Social Services of Northern California (auditee) in response to a hotline complaint. The complaint alleged that the auditee misused Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) funds. The specific allegations included (1) ineligible purchases using employee credit cards, (2) unreasonable rental of storage units, (3) caseworkers qualifying family and friends for HPRP who were not eligible, (4) diversion of…
February 07, 2011
Report
#2011-LA-1007
The City and County of San Francisco, CA, Did Not Always Ensure That Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Funds Were Used as Required
We audited the City and County of San Francisco (City) because its grant of more than $8.7 million was one of the largest Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) grants in the State of California. Our objective was to determine whether the City disbursed HPRP funding in accordance with program requirements. The City paid for HPRP services for ineligible participants and participants whose eligibility was not supported. It…
December 20, 2010
Report
#2011-LA-1005
The Housing Authority of the City of New Haven, CT, Did Not Support Cost Reasonableness for More Than $1.4 Million or Properly Obligate $60,000 of Its Capital Fund Stimulus Recovery Act Grant
We selected the Housing Authority of the City of New Haven (Authority), a Moving to Work agency, because it obligated a majority of its $6 million in Public Housing Capital Fund Stimulus (formula) Recovery Act Funded grant (grant) received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) just before the required obligation deadline. Our objectives were to determine whether the Authority (I) obligated its Recovery Act…
December 16, 2010
Report
#2011-BO-1003
Naomi Gardens, Arcadia, CA, Did Not Comply With HUD Procurement and Waiting List Requirements
We audited the Naomi Gardens housing project (project) in response to a congressional request from Representative David Dreier of the 26th District of California. The request to review the project was based on a constituent’s complaint that alleged the possible misuse of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, including the award of work to the family members of project employees without seeking proposals from other…
November 23, 2010
Report
#2011-LA-1003
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles Generally Had Capacity; However, It Needs To Improve Controls Over Its Administration of Its Capital Fund Grant Awarded Under The Recovery Act Program
We completed a capacity review of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles’ (Authority) capital fund grant awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) program. We performed the audit because Recovery Act reviews are part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) annual plan and the Authority was awarded a significant amount of program funds. Our objective was to evaluate the Authority’s capacity in…
November 04, 2010
Report
#2011-LA-1002
The City of Los Angeles Housing Department, Los Angeles, CA, Did Not Always Effectively Administer Its Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program
We audited the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (program) at the City of Los Angeles Housing Department (Department) because it was the second largest single program grant awarded within California under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). In addition, our audit is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) national mandate to monitor…
October 25, 2010
Report
#2011-LA-1001
The Compton Housing Authority, Compton, CA, Was Not Fully Reimbursed for Housing Assistance Payments for Portability Tenants
We audited the Compton Housing Authority’s (Authority) Section 8 program as the result of the Los Angeles Office of Public Housing’s concerns regarding its program administration. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority used Section 8 program funds in accordance with HUD rules and regulations. The Authority did not use Section 8 program funds in accordance with HUD rules and regulations as it did not fully comply with portability…
September 28, 2010
Report
#2010-LA-1016
The Manchester Housing Authority in Manchester, CT, Obligated Its Recovery Act Grant Funds in a Timely Manner for Eligible Projects and Properly Suported Expenditures
We audited the Manchester Housing Authority (Authority) in Manchester, CT, because it obligated the majority of its $520,654 Public Housing Capital Fund Stimulus (Formula) Recovery Act Funded grant awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) just before the required obligation deadline. Our objectives were to determine whether the Authority (1) obligated its grant funds in a timely manner for eligible…
September 21, 2010
Report
#2010-BO-1009
Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation, Irvine, CA, Improperly Funded One Ineligible HECM Loan
While performing an internal audit of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program, we noted one HECM loan underwritten by Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation, (Financial Freedom) of Irvine, CA, that was improperly insured as the property had several years of deferred property taxes, which is a violation of the HECM regulations. Neither Financial Freedom’s loan…
September 17, 2010
Memorandum
#2010-FW-1805
Webster Bank, Cheshire, CT, Did Not Properly Underwrite a selection of FHA Loans
We conducted a review of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans underwritten by Webster Bank (Webster), an FHA direct endorsement lender. This review was conducted as part of our “Operation Watchdog” initiative to review the underwriting of 15 direct endorsement lenders at the suggestion of the FHA Commissioner. The Commissioner expressed concern regarding the increasing claim rates against the FHA insurance fund for failed loans. The…
September 01, 2010
Memorandum
#2010-NY-1805
The Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco, CA, Did Not Effectively Operate Its Housing Choice Voucher Housing Quality Standards Inspections
We audited the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco’s (Authority) Section 8 housing quality standards inspections of Housing Choice Voucher program (voucher)-funded housing units. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority conducted its housing quality standards inspections in accordance with HUD rules and regulations. We found that the Authority did not conduct its housing quality standards inspections of…
August 31, 2010
Report
#2010-LA-1015
The Hartford Housing Authority's Plan To Replace Boilers Did Not Meet Recovery Act and Federal Efficiency Requirements
We audited the Hartford Housing Authority (Authority) because it was awarded a $5 million Public Housing Capital Fund grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) and obligated the majority of the grant just before the required obligation deadline. Our objectives were to determine whether the Authority (1) had adequate management controls over its obligation process, (2) maintained support for obligations, and (…
July 21, 2010
Report
#2010-BO-1005
The City of Montebello, CA, Did Not Comply With HOME Requirements
We reviewed the City of Montebello’s (City) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) at the request of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Los Angeles Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD). The request was based on findings contained in a 2008 single audit report and 2009 HUD CPD technical assistance report, which stated that the City did not fully comply with HOME program requirements in the ongoing…
July 08, 2010
Report
#2010-LA-1013