The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, We reviewed the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake’s (Authority) Public Housing Capital Fund Stimulus (formula) Recovery Act Funded grant (grant) based on a risk assessment we completed and the results of a monitoring review performed by the Denver Office of Public Housing. The objective was to determine whether the Authority properly obligated…

We audited the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (Department) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). We selected the Department for review as part of our strategic plan based on the results of a previous audit of the Department’s HOME program that disclosed instances of HOME-funded activities with slow progress. The objectives of this audit were to determine whether the Department’s HOME-funded activities met program objectives and…

We completed an audit of the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration (authority) central office procurement system. We selected the authority for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine (1) whether the authority’s procurement policies and procedures were in compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) requirements, (2) whether it followed its policies and procedures…

We audited the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (Department) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). We selected the Department for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Department (1) reimbursed HOME funds on terminated activities; (2) expended HOME funds within U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-established timeframes; (3) administered program income,…

The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General reviewed the City of Ogden, UT’s (City) HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) to determine whether the City effectively established HOME projects, ensured that HOME funds were used for eligible HOME expenses, and properly monitored the HOME projects. The City appropriately established HOME projects, used HOME funds for eligible HOME expenses, and…

We audited the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration’s (authority) Capital Fund Financing Program (Financing Program) as part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) strategic plan goals to improve the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fiscal accountability. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the authority obligated and expended the 2003 Financing Program funds in accordance with HUD requirements…

We audited the Municipality of Rio Grande’s (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program and whether the…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited SecurityNational Mortgage Company (SecurityNational), a Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved direct endorsement lender, to determine whether it properly underwrote insured loans and whether its quality control function met requirements. SecurityNational did not follow HUD regulations when underwriting 18 FHA-insured loans. One of the…

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority's (Authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether the Authority properly determined housing assistance subsidies, properly determined the eligibility of tenants, and recertified tenants in a timely manner.…

We reviewed Doral Bank Puerto Rico (Doral), an approved issuer for the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Our objective was to determine whether Doral complied with Ginnie Mae requirements associated with its mortgage-backed securities activities. The review was initiated in connection with the 2007 Ginnie Mae financial statement audit. Doral did not fully comply with Ginnie Mae requirements because it maintained seven…

We audited the Municipality of Carolina's (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program. The Municipality…

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Municipality of Caguas (authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Section 8 units met housing quality standards in accordance with HUD requirements and whether the authority properly determined housing assistance subsidies. Of the 10 units…

We audited the Municipality of Canovanas' (Municipality) Community Development Block Grant (Block Grant) program. We selected the Municipality for review as part of our strategic plan. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Municipality complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, procedures, and instructions related to the administration of the Block Grant program. The Municipality…

As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Inspector General's (OIG) strategic plan, we audited the Municipality of Ponce (authority) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Section 8 units met housing quality standards in accordance with HUD requirements and whether the authority properly paid program landlords and properly determined housing…

FBI continues with the investigation and is searching for possible victims.SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Ángel Alexis Vázquez Sánchez, 25, of Jayuya, PR, for child exploitation.According to court documents, from December 2021 throughout May 2023, Ángel Alexis Vázquez Sánchez sexually exploited four different minor females, between the ages of 12 and 16, with the intent…

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez, President of FiveStar Pest Control Inc. (FiveStar), and Luis O. Agosto-Meléndez, President of CoolBreeze Air Conditioning, Inc. (CoolBreeze) pleaded guilty to the theft of federal program funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the administration of Public Housing Projects (PHPs) in Puerto Rico.According to court documents, Martin D. Cruz-Vázquez…

WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued an audit report that found the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (PRDOH) needs to enhance its fraud risk management practices to better protect over $20 billion in grant funding provided through HUD’s disaster recovery programs in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. HUD OIG’s audit found that PRDOH’s fraud risk…