Prince George’s County, Largo, MD, Generally Did Not Administer Its HOME Program in Accordance With Federal Requirements
We audited Prince George’s County, MD’s administration of its HOME Investment Partnerships Program as part of our annual audit plan. Our objective was to determine whether the County properly administered its Program by ensuring that its community housing development organizations were eligible and complied with Program requirements, providing rental, home ownership, and rehabilitation assistance in accordance with requirements and implementing…
August 03, 2012
Report
#2012-PH-1011
The Hammond Housing Authority, Hammond, IN, Did Not Administer Its Recovery Act Grants in Accordance With Recovery Act, HUD’s, and Its Own Requirements
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General audited the Hammond Housing Authority’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Public Housing Capital Fund Stimulus formula and competitive grants. 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 jurisdiction. Our…
August 03, 2012
Report
#2012-CH-1009
Most Allegations Against the Oakland Housing Authority, Related to Housing Quality Standards Inspection Services, Were Generally Not Valid
We completed a review of the Oakland Housing Authority in response to a hotline complaint alleging that the Authority engaged in various questionable functions involving its inspection services. The objective of the review was to determine whether the complaint allegations against the Authority were valid.
Most of the allegations against the Authority were generally not valid. However, we found indications that 13 of the 19 housing units…
August 03, 2012
Report
#2012-LA-1009
The Section Eight Management Assessment Program Lacked Adequate Controls To Accomplish Its Objective
As part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) annual plan, we audited HUD’s controls over the Section Eight Management Assessment Program (SEMAP). Our objective was to determine whether HUD had adequate controls to ensure that SEMAP effectively assessed public housing agencies’ Section 8 administration.
HUD had not developed adequate controls to ensure that SEMAP would be effective…
August 03, 2012
Report
#2012-AT-0001
Weststar Mortgage Corporation, Albuquerque, NM, Did Not Comply With HUD FHA Single Family Requirements for 10 Loans Reviewed
We audited Weststar Mortgage Corporation, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) nonsupervised direct endorsement lender located in Albuquerque, NM. We selected Weststar for review based on a risk assessment of lenders in New Mexico. Our objective was to determine whether Weststar complied with U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and FHA loan origination requirements for loans on which the borrowers defaulted and FHA paid…
August 02, 2012
Report
#2012-FW-1012
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling Washington, DC, Generally Met HUD Requirements But Did Not Always Ensure That Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Counseling Requirements Were Met
We performed an audit of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling based on a citizen’s complaint alleging that it misused Federal funds. Our objective was to determine whether the Foundation complied with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements when administering its housing counseling program.
The complaint alleging that the Foundation misused Federal funds could not be substantiated. The Foundation generally…
July 31, 2012
Report
#2012-PH-1010
The Lawrence Housing Authority, Lawrence, MA, Did Not Obtain HUD Approval to Fund a Trust Account and Had Weaknesses in Its Controls
We completed an audit of the Lawrence Housing Authority, Lawrence, MA, (Authority) pertaining to its administration of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs. The objective of this audit was to determine whether the Authority had acceptable management and financial practices to efficiently and effectively administer the use of Section 8 and public housing program funds in compliance with its annual contributions…
July 31, 2012
Report
#2012-BO-1004
The Jefferson Parish Housing Authority Marrero, LA, Violated Federal Regulations
We audited the Jefferson Parish Housing Authority as part of our annual audit plan to review public housing programs. Our objective was to determine whether the Authority operated in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) and other requirements. Specifically, we wanted to determine whether the Authority (1) complied with procurement requirements and (2) ensured that its expenditures were eligible and…
July 30, 2012
Report
#2012-AO-1002
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, New York, NY, Approved Invoices That Were Not Always Consistent With Subrecipient Agreements
We completed the 16th audit report in our ongoing review of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation’s administration of the $2.783 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Assistance funds awarded to the State of New York in the aftermath of the September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. During the audit period, April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011, LMDC disbursed…
July 27, 2012
Report
#2012-NY-1010
The Owner of the West Village Expansion Project, Durham, NC, Failed To Comply With Its Regulatory Agreement With HUD
We audited the West Village Expansion Project in Durham, NC, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 220-insured property, due to a citizen’s hotline complaint. The anonymous complainant alleged that the managing member of the project’s ownership entity spent an excessive amount of project funds on legal fees, transferred more than $500,000 to another entity owned by it, and failed to keep the mortgage current. Our…
July 27, 2012
Report
#2012-AT-1014
Final Civil Action - Deutsche Bank Settled Alleged Violations of the False Claims Act by MortgageIT, Inc.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, in conducting a review of MortgageIT, Inc. MortgageIT is a residential mortgage banking company headquartered in New York City, NY. Originally founded in 1988, MortgageIT was acquired by Deutsche Bank in 2007, and was a HUD-approved Title II nonsupervised mortgage company. Its home…
July 23, 2012
Memorandum
#2012-CF-1811
The City of Newark, NJ, Generally Obligated and Expended NSP1 Funds in Accordance With Regulations, but Had Weaknesses in Administrative Controls
We audited the City of Newark, NJ’s administration of its Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP1), funded under Title III of Division B of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, in support of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) goal to improve the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) execution of and accountability for its fiscal responsibilities. We selected the City based upon a risk assessment that…
July 20, 2012
Report
#2012-NY-1009
The City of Houston Could Have Better Used Its Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Downpayment Assistance Funds
We audited the City of Houston’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery downpayment assistance program. The program allowed the City to provide up to $45,000 in downpayment assistance for homebuyers in low to moderate income areas within the City limits. We initiated the audit as part of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) annual audit plan to implement oversight…
July 19, 2012
Report
#2012-FW-1011
The Housing Authority of the City of Mineral Wells, TX, Had Errors in the Administration of Its Recovery Act Public Housing Capital Fund Grant
To meet the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) objective to review funds provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and at HUD's suggestion, we reviewed the Housing Authority of the City of Mineral Wells Public Housing Capital Fund Stimulus (formula) Recovery Act funded activities. Specifically, our objectives were to determine whether the Authority followed the Recovery Act rules and regulations when obligating and…
June 29, 2012
Report
#2012-FW-1010
Final Civil Action - Flagstar Bank, FSB, Settled False Claims Act Allegations of Submitting False Certifications to HUD on FHA Loans
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, in conducting a review of Flagstar Bank, FSB. The objective of the review was to determine whether Flagstar conducted its operations in the underwriting of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans in accordance with HUD-FHA regulations.
Flagstar Bank, FSB, is a supervised direct…
June 27, 2012
Memorandum
#2012-CF-1810
The City of Seattle, WA, Used Its Recovery Act CDBG-R Funds in Accordance With HUD and Recovery Act Requirements
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…
June 25, 2012
Report
#2012-SE-1004
The City of Philadelphia, PA, Generally Administered Its Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 Grant in Accordance With Applicable Requirements
We audited the City of Philadelphia, PA’s administration of its Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 grant that it received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 as part of our fiscal year 2012 audit plan. Our objective was to determine whether the grantee administered the grant in accordance with Recovery Act and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements. We found that the grantee generally…
June 21, 2012
Report
#2012-PH-1009
The Gonzales, TX, Housing Authority Generally Followed Recovery Act Public Housing Capital Fund Requirements
We audited the Gonzales Housing Authority’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Public Housing Capital Fund formula grant because it met the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) most recent audit plan objective to contribute to the oversight objectives of the Recovery Act and the San Antonio Office of Public Housing recommended it for audit. Our objectives were to determine whether the Authority (1) properly obligated and spent its…
June 18, 2012
Report
#2012-FW-1009
The City of Phoenix, AZ, Did Not Always Comply With Program Requirements When Administering Its NSP1 and NSP2 Grants
We completed a review of the City of Phoenix’s (City) Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grants NSP1 and NSP2. We performed the review because it supports the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General’s strategic plan to contribute to the oversight objectives of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the City received a $60 million grant as one of 56 NSP2 grantees. Our objective…
June 15, 2012
Report
#2012-LA-1008
Final Civil Action - Bank of America Settled Alleged Violations of the False Claims Act by Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), conducted a review of loans underwritten by Countrywide Home Loans Inc., and its divisions Countrywide Bank FSB and Countrywide Mortgage Ventures, LLC. The objective of the review was to determine whether Countrywide underwrote Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans in accordance with HUD-FHA regulations.
Countrywide is a subsidiary of Bank of…
June 12, 2012
Memorandum
#2012-CF-1809