BOSTON – A Quincy landlord has agreed to a settlement for a False Claims Act violation. Mario Bianco, 79, of Quincy has agreed to pay a $15,200 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving side payments in excess of approved monthly rent from a low-income tenant Read More

HUD OIG found that the Authority did not always ensure that its HCV Program units met HUD’s housing quality standards and did not consistently stop payments to owners who failed to correct unit deficiencies. We also found the Authority did not comply with HUD’s monitoring and data collection Read More

We audited the Boston Housing Authority’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program.  We initiated this audit based upon our assessment of risks associated with public housing agencies' HCV Program units, as well as recent media attention and public concern about the conditions of subsidized Read More

HUD OIG found that the Authority did not adequately manage lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in its public housing, including failing to perform timely lead‐based paint visual inspections in an estimated 4,762 units.  

We audited the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles’ management of lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in its public housing units.  We selected the Authority based on our assessment of the risks of lead‐based paint in public housing agencies’ (PHA) housing developments, Read More

HUD OIG is auditing barriers impacting borrowers who were attempting to avoid FHA foreclosures. There were 85,000 FHA foreclosures started in 2022 following the conclusion of the COVID-19 foreclosure moratorium. Our audit objective is to assess the challenges facing FHA borrowers trying to avoid Read More

We are auditing HUD’s oversight of Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control (LBPHC) and Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration (LHRD) grant programs. Between fiscal years 2020 to 2024, HUD committed more than $200 million in grant funds as part of addressing lead based in targeted communities. Our objectives Read More

The Justice Department announced today that Kevin Martin, an owner and manager of residential rental properties in and around Athens, Ohio, has agreed to pay $170,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that he sexually harassed female tenants and housing applicants in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Read More

The review found the Puerto Rico Department of Housing budgeted most of its $1.93 billion disaster recovery funds for its two main electrical grid programs which were launched in 2023. Both programs are in their early implementation stages.  As of July 12, 2024, PRDOH had spent less than 1 Read More

HUD OIG is auditing the changing hazard insurance market on FHA borrowers and FHA. Our review will involve the review of hazard insurance cost data from January 1, 2018, through July 31, 2024, in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and California overlayed with FEMA high-risk disaster maps and risk Read More

HUD OIG is reviewing monetary audit recommendations that were closed by HUD under the new Closed Collection process. Upon receipt of a valid repayment agreement, HUD closes the recommendation but is still responsible for maintaining repayment documentation and ensuring adherence to the repayment Read More

CHICAGO — A former attorney has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for embezzlement and fraud in connection with the failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings in Chicago.ROBERT M. KOWALSKI served a key role in an embezzlement scheme at Washington Federal.  The bank, which was Read More

We reviewed the Puerto Rico Department of Housing’s (PRDOH) Electrical Power System Enhancements and Improvements programs to provide (1) background and funding information, (2) an update on the status of the programs and their progress, and (3) other relevant program information for interested Read More

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Multifamily Housing Programs’ efforts to address multifamily mortgage application processing delays.  When applications for these loans are delayed, it slows the production and availability of affordable Read More

Pursue collection from the applicable owner or reimburse its HCV Program $5,194 from non-Federal funds for HAP that was not properly stopped for two units with outstanding HQS deficiencies.

Work with HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to provide technical assistance to the Authority’s staff to develop and implement policies, procedures, and controls for managing cases of children with EBLLs to ensure compliance with the LSHR, including attempts to collaborate with Read More

Develop and implement policies and procedures that align with HUD’s requirements and controls to ensure that owners follow the requirements of the LSHR.

Work with its contractor to ensure that the contractor’s inspectors receive training on how to properly identify and categorize life-threatening deficiencies.

Implement a quality control process for monitoring its contracted inspectors to ensure that units meet HUD’s requirements to prevent nearly $36 million in program funds from being spent on units that do not meet HQS over the next year.

Implement procedures and controls regarding its quality control inspections to ensure that the results of those inspections are appropriately used to evaluate and monitor the performance of the Authority’s contracted inspectors and documentation is maintained on communications with the contractor Read More