We reviewed the work that HUD conducted in its four major program areas to include Community Planning and Development including the Community Development Block Grants disaster funding, Public and Indian Housing including the temporary housing assistance programs, Single Family Housing, and Multifamily Housing. We also briefly summarize activities in Other Program areas. Overall we determined that HUD took prompt action to assist in the…

This report provides additional details to supplement our Report on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Fiscal Years 2007 and 2006 Financial Statements, which is included in HUD's Fiscal Year 2007 Performance and Accountability Report. In OIG'S opinion, based on our audit and the reports of other auditors, the financial statements were presented fairly, in all material respects, in conformity with…

This report presents the results of Urbach Kahn and Werlin LLP's audit of the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) financial statements for the years ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. In Urbach Kahn and Werlin's opinion, FHA's principal financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The report identifies three…

This report presents the results of Carmichael, Brasher, Tuvell and Company's audit of the Government National Mortgage Association's (Ginnie Mae) financial statements for the years ended September 30, 2007 and 2006. In Carmichael, Brasher, Tuvell and Company's opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Ginnie Mae as of September 30, 2007 and September 30, 2006 and the…

We audited the District of Columbia Housing Authority's (Authority) administration of its leased housing under its Moving to Work Demonstration (Moving to Work) program based on our analysis of various risk factors relating to the housing authorities under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Baltimore field office. This is the second of three audit reports to be issued on the Authority'…

We completed a limited review of social security number validation procedures used by lenders to qualify single family loans for FHA mortgage insurance. Prior to 2005, the use of invalid or false social security numbers (SSNs) by borrowers and co-borrowers to obtain FHA insured mortgages was an issue. Effective June 2005, FHA required the lenders to validate borrowers social security numbers by matching their names and dates of birth through…

We completed a limited review concerning Sprint FONCARDS or calling cards. We conducted the review to ensure adequate controls were present. The objectives of our review were to determine the controls in place to identify waste, fraud or abuse regarding the FTS 2001 Sprint FONCARD. We determined that verification memorandums were not being sent to individuals to verify that calls were official and were made by the individual as required in…

We completed a limited review concerning college students living in Section 8 subsidized housing. We conducted the review in response to media and congressional attention and subsequent issuance of new regulations and policy guidance by HUD that restricted the eligibility of the students. The media had reported that taxpayer subsidized housing was being occupied by students to offset the high price of college. It also reported concerns by the…

WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report examining how the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) evaluates fraud risk, designs antifraud controls, and responds to known fraud to prevent it in the future. The audit found that NYCHA has several antifraud measures in place but lacks a comprehensive strategy or framework for identifying and…

WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report examining the Boston Housing Authority’s (Authority) compliance with HUD and local requirements for maintaining Public Housing units in decent, safe, sanitary, conditions and in good repair.The audit found that the Authority’s units and buildings were not consistently maintained in accordance with HUD’s and the…

WASHINGTON DC— An Illinois man was sentenced today in federal court to seven months for his role in a scheme to defraud financial institutions in connection with over $800,000 in loans.Lamar Spells, 60, of Flossmoor, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger of the Northern District of Illinois, who also ordered Spells to pay $276,788 in restitution, joint and severally. In April 2023, Spells pleaded guilty to one count of an…

CLEVELAND – Basheer Jones, 40, of Cleveland, Ohio, has been charged in a two-count information with conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud for using his role as a public official for personal financial gain by seeking to defraud multiple community stakeholders out of more than $200,000. He previously served as an elected Cleveland city council member representing Ward 7.According to court documents, from about December 2018 to…

WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued its annual independent evaluation of the effectiveness of HUD’s information security (InfoSec) program and practices under the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA).FISMA requires all Inspectors General (IG) to annually assess the effectiveness of their Federal agency’s InfoSec programs. The Office…

CINCINNATI – The former executive director of the Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal program theft.Timothy Holland, 57, of Williamsburg, Ohio, admitted to stealing tens of thousands of dollars intended to assist low-income residents of Clermont County, Ohio.According to court documents, Holland served from 2012 until 2019 as the executive director for CMHA, the United States…