The City and County of Honolulu Should Improve Its Fraud Risk Management Practices for Its ESG CARES Act Program
We audited the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services’ and Department of Community Services’ (City) fraud risk management practices for its Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG CARES Act) program with the objective of assessing the maturity of the City’s fraud risk management framework that encompasses control activities to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud. …
August 06, 2024
Report
#2024-LA-1002
Final Civil Action – Independent Public Accountant Debarred for Violating Federal Housing Administration Requirements for Multifamily Properties
An independent public accountant performed audits of the Willow Run (FHA no. 092-44100) and Willow Run II (FHA no. 092-35650) multifamily properties for the years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 under the name of The Blackwing Group, LLC. According to the Minnesota Board of Accountancy, neither the independent public accountant nor The Blackwing Group, LLC, had ever been licensed to perform public accounting engagements in the State of…
March 23, 2018
Memorandum
#2018-CF-1802
The Washington County, OR, Department of Housing Services’ Clover Court Project Was Eligible For Continuum of Care Funding
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General reviewed the allegations contained in a hotline complaint against the Washington County Department of Housing Services, Hillsboro, OR, to determine whether its application and related submissions to secure HUD grant OR0216L0E061500 were false or misleading or would otherwise cause the Clover Court project to be ineligible for Continuum of Care funding.
We…
September 21, 2017
Report
#2017-SE-1001
Final Civil Action - Owner and Management Agents Settled Allegations of Failing To Comply With the Regulatory Agreements for Multifamily Projects Willow Run I and Willow Run II
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota in a civil investigation of Willow Run Partners L.P. and Willow Run II Partners L.P. Willow Run Partners L.P. was the owner of Willow Run I Apartments, and Willow Run II Partners L.P. was the owner of Willow Run II Apartments. Our investigation began as a result of a…
September 30, 2016
Memorandum
#2016-CF-1813
The City and County of Honolulu, HI, Did Not Administer Its Community Development Block Grant in Accordance With Requirements
We audited the City and County of Honolulu’s (City) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. We conducted the audit because the City was the largest Pacific island recipient of CDBG funds, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had identified problems with the City’s CDBG program, and the Office of Inspector General had never audited the City. Our objective was to determine whether the City administered…
August 26, 2016
Report
#2016-LA-1009
Final Civil Action: Civic Construction, LLC, Settled Allegations of Making False Claims to the Seattle Housing Authority
Based on a referral from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Seattle Office of Labor Relations, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) performed a review of certain payrolls of the owner of Civic Construction, LLC, of Portland, OR. The payrolls were subject to the Davis-Bacon Act. We completed the review and referred alleged violations to HUD’s Office of Program Enforcement for action under the Program Fraud…
March 30, 2015
Memorandum
#2015-SE-1801
Review of Home Forward, Portland, OR’s Compliance With Federal Lobbying Disclosure Requirements and Restrictions
We conducted a review of Home Forward (previously named the Housing Authority of Portland, OR) based on concerns noted during our ongoing internal audit of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of public housing authorities’ compliance with Federal lobbying disclosure requirements. Our review objective was to determine whether Home Forward complied with Federal lobbying disclosure requirements and…
September 05, 2014
Memorandum
#2014-PH-1806
Allegations Against the Northeast Oregon Housing Authority Were Unsubstantiated or Did Not Violate HUD Requirements
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the Northeast Oregon Housing Authority. We selected the Authority because we received a hotline complaint expressing several concerns about the Authority’s procurement, asset disposal, payroll withholdings, maintenance charge rates, and tenant commissioner housing issues. Our objective was to determine whether the allegations in hotline…
July 28, 2014
Report
#2014-SE-1004
Home Forward Generally Complied With Moving to Work Housing Choice Voucher Requirements
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited Home Forward’s Moving to Work Housing Choice Voucher program. We selected Home Forward, formerly known as the Housing Authority of Portland, because it disbursed the highest average Section 8 funds in Oregon from 2010 to 2012 and third highest in the Region, including Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. We focused on its tenant-based…
August 08, 2013
Report
#2013-SE-1004
Volunteers of America’s Whispering Pines Senior Village, Estacada, OR- HUD and Recovery Act Rules and Regulations
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited Volunteers of America’s (VOA) Whispering Pines Senior Village’s Green Retrofit program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Our objective was to determine whether VOA used its Whispering Pines Green Retrofit Recovery Act funds in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Recovery Act rules and…
April 25, 2013
Report
#2013-SE-1002
Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency Did Not Always Follow Recovery Act Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program Requirements
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited the Mid-Willamette Community Action Agency’s (Agency) Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). Our objective was to determine whether the Agency disbursed HPRP funds and reported data in accordance with Recovery Act requirements. We found that the Agency paid for HPRP services without adequate supporting documentation for participant…
June 13, 2011
Report
#2011-SE-1006
Oregon Housing and Community Services Did Not Always Disburse Its Tax Credit Assistance Program Funds in Accordance With Program Requirements
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, audited Oregon Housing and Community Services (Oregon Housing) to determine whether Oregon Housing established eligible grant projects, reported tax credit assistance program (TCAP) information into FederalReporting.gov correctly, and paid eligible TCAP expenditures in accordance with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 requirements.
Oregon Housing…
April 28, 2011
Report
#2011-SE-1005
Oregon Housing and Community Services Generally Complied With Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 Requirements
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General audited the Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to determine whether it ensured that properties funded with its Recovery Act Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP 2) grant were eligible, obtained adequate supporting documentation for NSP expenditures, procured goods and services properly, and ensured that program income was properly used. OHCS…
March 28, 2011
Report
#2011-SE-1004
Oregon Housing and Community Services Allowed a Developer To Use Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funds for Ineligible Purposes
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited Oregon Housing and Community Services to determine whether it timely obligated Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds, adequately monitored subgrantee and contractor performance, properly maintained NSP records, and reasonably assured NSP funds were spent for eligible activities. We selected OHCS because it received $19.6 million in NSP…
February 28, 2011
Report
#2011-SE-1003
The Department of Hawaiian Home lands Generally Had Capacity To Manage; However, it Needs To Improve Controls Over Its Administration of Recovery
As part of the Office of Inspector General’s annual audit plan, we completed a capacity review of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ (Department) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) funding. Our objective was to determine whether the Department had sufficient capacity to manage and administer its Recovery Act funding. Specifically, we reviewed and assessed the Department’s capacity in the following areas:…
January 18, 2010
Report
#2010-LA-1005
The Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Needs to Improve Its Administration of Its Section 8 Project-Based Voucher Program
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited the Public Housing Agency of the City of Saint Paul’s (Agency) Section 8 Project-Based Voucher program (program). The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2009 annual audit plan. We selected the Agency’s program based upon our internal audit survey of HUD’s oversight of the program and our analysis of risk factors relating to the…
September 25, 2009
Report
#2009-CH-1015
Capacity Reviews of the Warm Springs Housing Authority, Warm Springs, Oregon
In accordance with our goal to review funds provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), we conducted a capacity review of Warm Springs Housing Authority’s (Authority) operations. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority has the capacity to adequately administer Recovery Act funding.
Our limited review found no evidence indicating the Authority lacks the capacity to administer its Recovery Act…
September 21, 2009
Memorandum
#2009-SE-1803
The Housing Authority of Douglas County, Roseburg, Oregon, Needs to Strengthen Its Internal Controls
At the request of HUD's Region X Office of Public Housing, we audited the Housing Authority of Douglas County, Oregon, (Authority) to determine whether the Authority procured goods and services in accordance with HUD regulations and its procurement policy, accounted for HUD funds in accordance with HUD's administrative requirements and managed its Housing Choice Voucher program in accordance with HUD regulations.
We found the…
January 08, 2009
Report
#2009-SE-1001
Accounting for Program Income from NAHASDA-Assisted 1937 Act Housing Projects at Warm Springs Housing Authority, Warm Springs, Oregon
We audited Warm Springs Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our review of the Office of Native American Programs' guidance on calculating program income for 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 1937 Act…
October 30, 2007
Report
#2008-SE-1001
Two Nigerian Nationals Sentenced in Online Romance Fraud Conspiracy
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to prison, probation, and owe over $500,000 in restitution for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims in romance fraud schemes, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in 2016 through 2019, Charles Emeka Obije, 41, used fictitious identities to contact victims throughout the United States, including Minnesota, via email…
Press release
September 18, 2023