Eagle Home Mortgage, Kirkland, Washington, Did Not Always Comply with HUD Guidelines When Underwriting Federal Housing Administration-Insured Loans
We audited single-family loan originations at Eagle Home Mortgage (Eagle Mortgage), located in Kirkland, Washington, to determine whether it originated Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. Eagle Mortgage did not always originate FHA insured loans in accordance with HUD requirements. Specifically, Eagle Mortgage did not follow HUD's…
July 20, 2009
Report
#2009-SE-1003
The Office of Community Development, City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Did Not Award HOME Set-Aside Funds to a Qualified Community Housing Development Organization
We initiated an audit of the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Office of Community Development's (City) award and use of HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program set-aside funds as part of our annual audit plan. Our objective was to determine whether the City ensured that Contemporary Apartments, Inc. (Contemporary Apartments), met community development housing organization (CHDO) qualification requirements and whether the related CHDO…
May 14, 2009
Report
#2009-BO-1008
The John C. Cannon Retirement and Assisted Living Residence, Seattle, Washington, Violated Its Regulatory Agreement
At the request of the Region X Multifamily Hub, we audited the John C Cannon Retirement and Assisted Living Residence (project) to determine if the project owner used project funds in accordance with the regulatory agreement. We found that the project owner failed to get HUD approval for leases costing $189,000, used project funds to obtain unneeded equipment costing $10,700, and failed to keep adequate documentation to support expenditures…
April 15, 2009
Report
#2009-SE-1002
Quincy Housing Authority, Quincy, Massachusetts, Housing Choice Voucher Program Needs to Improve Controls over Its Interprogram Fund Transactions, Procurement, and Travel
We audited the Housing Choice Voucher program (Voucher program) at the Quincy Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our annual audit plan. Our efforts focused on whether the Authority (1) ensured that its Section 8 administrative plan met the requirements of 24 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 982.54, (2) adequately accounted for its indirect cost charges, (3) used Voucher program funds only for the administration of the program and whether…
April 09, 2009
Report
#2009-BO-1006
Actions Under Program Civil Remedies Act, Washington Mutual Bank, Seattle, Washington
We audited late endorsement payment histories at Washington Mutual Bank (Washington Mutual), Seattle, Washington. We reported the results of our review in Audit Report 2005-SE-1006, issued on July 5, 2005. After the audit report was issued and the report recommendations were closed out in HUD’s Audit Resolution and Corrective Actions Tracking System (ARCATS), we recommended that HUD’s Office of General Counsel take additional sanctions against…
November 16, 2008
Memorandum
#2009-SE-1801
The Taunton Housing Authority, Taunton, Massachusetts, Needs to Improve Accounting for Its Interprogram Funds
We audited the Housing Choice Voucher (Voucher) program at the Taunton Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our annual audit plan. The overall audit objective was to determine whether the Authority efficiently administered its Voucher program in compliance with its annual contributions contract and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. Our specific objectives were to determine whether the Authority used Voucher…
October 01, 2008
Report
#2009-BO-1001
The Richland Housing Authority, Richland, Washington, Did Not Adequately Account for Housing Choice Voucher Funds
At HUD's request, we audited the Housing Choice Voucher program of the Richland Housing Authority (Authority). HUD was concerned about the results of an audit of the Authority performed by the Washington State Auditor's Office. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority made ineligible purchases with program funds. We found that the Authority did not track its program expenses. Also, it charged more than $57,000 in…
July 07, 2008
Report
#2008-SE-1006
Renton Housing Authority, Renton, Washington, Overpaid Rental Assistance And Did Not Have Sufficient Controls Over Rent Reasonableness
We audited Renton Housing Authority (Authority), Renton, Washington. The review was initiated due to a hotline complaint from a Housing Choice Voucher program recipient. The complainant stated that the contract rent was unreasonable because it exceeded the rent for comparable unassisted units on the premises. The audit objective was to determine whether the complaint was valid. We also wanted to determine whether the Authority had controls in…
June 03, 2008
Report
#2008-SE-1005
A Plus Mortgage Inc., Tukwila, WA, Overcharged Borrowers and Allowed Independent Contractors and Unapproved Branches to Originate Loans
We audited A Plus Mortgage, Inc. (A Plus), to determine whether (1) the fees charged to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) borrowers by A Plus were appropriate under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA, and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) regulations and (2) the loan officers originating FHA-insured loans were employees of A Plus.
A Plus disregarded HUD FHA requirements and provisions of RESPA and engaged…
May 07, 2008
Report
#2008-SE-1004
Office of Multifamily Housing Boston Hub Staff Effectively Used Contract Fee Inspectors
We reviewed the use of contract fee inspectors by the Office of Multifamily Housing Boston Hub (Boston Hub) as part of our 2007 annual audit plan. This review was initiated because U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff rely on contract fee inspectors to oversee the work of contractors performing renovation work on HUD-insured properties. Our objective was to determine whether the Boston Hub effectively used contract fee…
February 13, 2008
Report
#2008-BO-0001
Holyoke Housing Authority's, Holyoke, Massachusetts, Lack of Management Controls Resulted in Section 8 Units Not Meeting Housing Quality Standards
Attached is the report on our audit of the Holyoke Housing Authority's (Authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program , Audit Report Number 2008-BO-1002, dated November 26, 2007. We audited the Holyoke Housing Authority's (Authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program as part of our fiscal year 2007 audit plan. Our objectives were to determine whether the Authority's Section 8 housing units met…
November 25, 2007
Report
#2008-BO-1002
The City of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Did Not Properly Administer More Than $4.3 Million in Community Development Block Grant Funds
We audited of the City of Chicopee, Massachusetts (City), Office of Community Development's administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The objectives of the audit were to evaluate the City's administration of its public facilities and improvement activities funded through the CDBG program and its oversight and monitoring of CDBG funds it provided to the City's Parks and Recreation Department and…
November 06, 2007
Report
#2008-BO-1001
The City of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Did Not Properly Administer More Than $4.3 Million in Community Development Block Grant Funds
November 06, 2007
Report
#2008-BO-1001
The Tacoma Consortium, Tacoma, Washington, Did Not Properly Administered Its HOME Investment Partnerships Program Grants
We audited the Tacoma Consortium HOME Investment Partnerships Program as a result of a risk assessment performed by HUD-OIG Region IX. Our objective was to determine whether the Consortium complied with HOME requirements, laws, and regulations with respect to the homeowner rehabilitation program and HUD procurement regulations. The Consortium generally administered HOME in accordance with HUD requirements but violated HOME regulations when it…
September 30, 2007
Report
#2007-SE-1004
Holyoke Housing Authority, Holyoke, MA Needs to Improve Its Internal Controls over the Voucher Program, Cost Allocations and Transfers
We audited the Housing Choice Voucher program (Voucher program) at the Holyoke Housing Authority (Authority) as part of our fiscal year 2007 annual audit plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Authority administered the Voucher program in accordance with its annual contributions contracts and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. Our efforts focused on whether the Authority properly (1)…
August 29, 2007
Report
#2007-BO-1008
The City of Fall River, MA, Generally Administered Its Block Grant and HOME Programs in Accordance with HUD Requirements
We reviewed the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs administered by the Community Development Agency, City of Fall River, Massachusetts (City) as part of our annual audit plan.
Our audit objective was to determine whether the City administered its CDBG and HOME programs in compliance with U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. We focused on whether the City: (1…
August 24, 2007
Report
#2007-BO-1007
The City of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Did Not Meet Certain Requirements of HUD's Community Development Block Grant Program
As part of our annual plan, we audited the Office of Housing and Community Development, City of New Bedford, Massachusetts' (City) administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs. Our audit objective was to determine whether the City complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations in administering its CDBG and HOME programs.
The City generally…
April 23, 2007
Report
#2007-BO-1005
The Office of Community Development, City of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Did Not Properly Award and Administer Community Development Block Grant and HOME Funds Used for its Housing Activities
As part of our annual plan, we audited the Office of Community Development, City of Chicopee, Massachusetts' (City) administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs. The objective of the audit was to evaluate the City's administration of its housing rehabilitation contracts funded through the CDBG or HOME programs and its oversight and monitoring of various for-profit developers (developers) involved in…
March 21, 2007
Report
#2007-BO-1003
Colombian National Charged With Voter Fraud; Federal Benefit Fraud; And Identity Theft Offenses
Defendant alleged to have voted in the 2024 presidential election; lived under stolen identity for more than 20 years; obtained a Real ID; and improperly received more than $400,000 in stolen federal benefitsBOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for identity theft offenses, including receiving rental assistance, Social Security and SNAP benefits, as well as voter fraud under the…
Press release
May 22, 2025
Colombian Woman Charged with Identity Theft Offenses and Stealing Federal Benefits
Defendant allegedly received over $250,000 in housing benefitsBOSTON – A Colombian woman residing in Boston was arrested for identity theft offenses and stealing housing benefits.Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 58, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of false representation of a Social Security number, one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one…
Press release
February 13, 2025