HUD OIG audited the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by the City of Miami, Florida (City). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the City administered its CDBG program in accordance with applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The City did not administer its CDBG program in accordance with applicable HUD requirements. It did not comply with HUD requirements in…

HUD-OIG audited the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by Miami-Dade County, Florida (County). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the County administered its CDBG program in accordance with applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The County did not administer its CDBG program in accordance with applicable HUD requirements. It did not comply with HUD requirements…

HUD-OIG audited the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by Miami-Dade County, Florida (County). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the County administered its CDBG program in accordance with applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The County did not administer its CDBG program in accordance with applicable HUD requirements. It did not comply with HUD requirements…

We audited Bethany Towers Apartments as part of our annual goal for auditing multifamily projects and in response to a request from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Tampa, Florida, Multifamily Division. We focused the audit on the nonprofit owner's and management agents' compliance with the project's regulatory agreement, applicable laws, and other HUD requirements pertaining to the sale and…

HUD OIG audited the Miami Dade Housing Agency (Agency) capital fund program. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Agency used capital fund program drawdowns in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The Agency did not use capital fund program drawdowns in accordance with HUD requirements. The Agency's internal controls over capital fund program drawdowns from HUD were…

We audited the City of Jacksonville/Duval County's (City) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) as part of our annual audit plan. We selected the City because it had the largest funded program in northern Florida and other risk factors. Our audit objectives were to determine whether the City administered its HOME program in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) requirements concerning the (1…

We audited Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our review of the Office of Native American Programs' guidance on calculating program income for the United States Housing Act of 1937 (1937 Act) housing projects assisted by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Authority calculated program income for NAHASDA-assisted…

HUD-OIG audited the Miami Dade Housing Agency (Agency) capital fund program. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Agency had adequate controls to ensure that contracts were awarded in accordance with regulations and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The Agency did not have adequate controls to ensure that contracts were awarded in accordance with regulations and HUD requirements. It did not…

HUD OIG performed a corrective action verification of the audit recommendations cited in the audit report, Miami-Dade Housing Agency (Agency) Did Not Ensure Section 8-Assisted Units Met Housing Quality Standards (2006-AT-1001) issued December 21, 2005. The purpose of the corrective action verification was to determine if the selected audit recommendations were implemented and the deficiencies reported in the audit report corrected. The Agency…

HUD OIG audited the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (City). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the City administered its CDBG program in accordance with applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The City did not administer its CDBG program in accordance with applicable HUD requirements. It did not provide supporting…

HUD OIG audited the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by the City of West Palm Beach, Florida (City). The objective of the audit was to determine whether the City administered its CDBG program in accordance with applicable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. The City failed to properly administer its CDBG program in accordance with HUD requirements. Specifically, the City was deficient…

We reviewed the City of Jacksonville/County of Duval, Florida's (City) Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG). We conducted the review as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's annual audit plan. Our objectives were to determine whether the City complied with CDBG regulations and requirements related to (a) use of competition when purchasing goods and services, (b…

We audited the Cathedral Foundation of Jacksonville, Inc. (Foundation), concerning its involvement as owner and/or manager of four elderly multifamily housing projects (projects) located in Jacksonville, Florida. We conducted the audit based on a request from the Jacksonville Multifamily Housing Hub, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Jacksonville, Florida. Our audit objective was to determine whether the Foundation operated…

HELENA – A Helena real estate agent and property manager today admitted to failing to provide lead-based paint disclosures as required to veterans residing in housing at Fort Harrison, in Helena, which resulted in the exposure of veterans and their families to significant levels of lead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.The defendant, Melanie Ann Carlin, 54, of Clancy, appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging her…

HELENA — Mold Wranglers, Inc., a Kalispell-based company that provides hazardous material mitigation services, today admitted to filing false requests for payment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claiming an abatement of lead paint was done at Freedom’s Path Fort Harrison when it was not, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.The defendant, Mold Wranglers, Inc., appeared for arraignment on and pleaded guilty to an information charging one…

MISSOULA — The former executive director of the Whitefish Housing Authority today admitted to embezzling at least $100,000 from the organization, which receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.The defendant, Dwarne Lamont Hawkins, 46, pleaded guilty to theft from organization receiving federal funding. Hawkins faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and…

Orlando, FL –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Maria Del Carmen Montes (46, Kissimmee) has pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud. Each bank fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. Montes was indicted, along with coconspirator Carlos Ferrer, on July 20, 2022.According to the plea agreement, Montes, coconspirator Ferrer, and others created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting…

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul Byron has sentenced Omayra Ujaque (52, St. Cloud) to two years and eight months in federal prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ujaque was convicted at trial on April 13, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial, Ujaque, in her capacity as a licensed mortgage loan officer, created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting the financial institution where she worked. To ensure…

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Oliver Barrington King (44, Deland) has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. King faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. In addition, King has agreed to forfeit $16,618.91, the amount he obtained as a result of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, King was the property manager for an apartment…

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Omayra Ujaque (52, St. Cloud) guilty of three counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Ujaque faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count and a mandatory 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft county. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 5, 2023. Ujaque had been indicted on…