The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, audited the Alton Housing Authority because it appeared to have flat rents set at a rate below 80 percent of the fair market rent in that area based on the information available in the Public and Indian Housing Information Center system.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority complied with HUD’s flat rent requirements. The Authority did…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited Homewood Terrace Mutual Homes’ Section 8 housing assistance payments program due to concerns over poor financial reporting and potentially inappropriate involvement by one of its board members.  Our objective was to determine whether Homewood Terrace conducted timely reexaminations, correctly calculated and requested assistance payments, and…

We audited EdgeAlliance, Inc.’s Continuum of Care program funds for The Daniel R. Ruscitti Phoenix House (project).  The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2015 annual audit plan.  We selected the project for review based upon a citizen’s complaint.  Our objectives were to determine whether EdgeAlliance complied with Federal requirements in its (1) maintenance of financial management systems for program funds and…

We audited the State of Illinois’ Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.  The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2015 annual audit plan.  We selected the State’s program based on a congressional request from the Honorable Mark Kirk to review the State’s awards of program funds under the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009 for three projects.…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited Snohomish County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement program because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as part of its 2014 monitoring report, noted findings and concerns related to the County’s use of program income.  In addition, the County’s 2013 risk assessment concluded that procurement was an…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Resident Homeownership Program grant for Carmen-Marine Apartments (project).  The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2015 annual audit plan.  We selected the project based on a request from HUD’s Chicago Multifamily Housing Hub.  Our objective was to determine whether the Carmen-Marine Cooperative and management agent operated the project in…

HUD OIG assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois, in the investigation of Lakeview Sheridan, LLC, and Fremont Sheridan Properties.  Lakeview Sheridan is a multifamily property located in Chicago, IL, and Fremont Sheridan was the management company for Lakeview Sheridan.  Under section 223(f) of the National Housing Act, HUD insured the mortgage on Lakeview Sheridan in May 2006 through its Federal Housing…

We conducted a review of the Chicago Housing Authority’s payments for outside legal services in conjunction with an ongoing internal audit of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of public housing agencies’ expenditures for outside legal services.  Our review objective was to determine whether the Authority made payments for outside legal services in compliance with applicable requirements. We found that…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the Redwood Juniper Tacoma Apartments to determine whether Redwood Juniper’s owner took an unauthorized distribution in excess of surplus cash, procured services in accordance with HUD rules and regulations, and maintained an auditable waiting list. We selected the multifamily housing project for audit because it appeared that the project owner took…

We audited the Chicago Housing Authority’s Moving to Work Housing Choice Voucher program as part of the activities in our fiscal year 2014 annual audit plan.  We selected the Authority based on a request from Congressman Aaron Schock and recent media attention regarding the Authority’s exception payment standards.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority complied with its Moving to Work agreement, the U.S. Department of…

We audited the City of Chicago’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program.  We selected the City’s Program based upon our analysis of risk factors related to Program grantees in Region 5’s jurisdiction.  Our objectives were to determine whether the City complied with HUD’s requirements regarding (1) leases between rental new construction projects’ owners and households, (2) use and reporting of Program income, and (3) monitoring of…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited King County, WA’s Shelter Plus Care program to determine whether King County met the matching requirements for its Shelter Plus Care grants.  We selected King County because it received the most Shelter Plus Care funding in HUD’s Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington). While it was able to provide the necessary service match support…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General audited Pierce County because it received almost $9 million in total funding in Washington State for its community planning and development grants under the 2011 and 2012 notices of funding availability. The County claimed nearly $242,000 in ineligible matching funds for three HOME projects.  Since these three projects had already received HOME funding and…

We audited the Moline Housing Authority’s Section 8 program as part of the activities in our fiscal year 2013 annual audit plan.  We selected the Authority based on a citizen’s complaint to our office.  Our objective was to determine whether the Authority administered its program in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) and its own requirements. The Authority did not always comply with HUD’s…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited how the Yakama Nation Housing Authority used its nearly $4.9 million Native American Housing Block Grant provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Our objectives were to determine whether the Authority properly spent its Recovery Act funds, correctly obtained small purchases, and properly reported Recovery Act…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General reviewed a complaint against a project that was partially funded by the Office of Community Planning and Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships program.  Our objective was to determine whether the allegations in hotline complaint number HL-2013-0804 were valid.  The complainant alleged that while Clare View Seniors Apartments, LP, was in the process…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the City of Spokane, WA’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to determine whether the City complied with procurement, matching, and reporting requirements when executing its grant. This audit was part of the mandate to monitor grant activities funded by the Recovery Act. We selected the City…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General audited the Aurora Housing Authority’s Recovery Act formula grant. The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2012 annual audit plan. We selected the Authority based upon our analysis of risk factors related to the housing agencies in Region V’s (see footnote) jurisdiction. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority administered its grant…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the Washington State Department of Commerce to determine whether it complied with Lead Hazard Control grant project eligibility, matching contribution, administrative cost, and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act reporting requirements. This audit is part of the national mandate to monitor grant activities funded by the Recovery Act. We selected…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited the City of Seattle’s Community Development Block Grant- Recovery (CDBG-R) program to determine whether the City used its CDBG-R funds in accordance with HUD and Recovery Act requirements and subgrantee expenditures were appropriate, eligible, and supported. We selected the City for review because it received $3.26 million in CDBG-R funds, more than…