Audit 19545

FY End
2022-12-31
Total Expended
$1.31M
Findings
4
Programs
1
Organization: Home Share 092-Hd017 (MN)
Year: 2022 Accepted: 2023-04-06

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
15893 2022-001 Material Weakness Yes E
15894 2022-001 Material Weakness Yes E
592335 2022-001 Material Weakness Yes E
592336 2022-001 Material Weakness Yes E

Programs

ALN Program Spent Major Findings
14.181 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities $52,644 Yes 1

Contacts

Name Title Type
KRHPTQ51QVC4 Robert Pickering Auditee
6123624420 Elizabeth F. Barchenger Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Loan/loan guarantee outstanding balances Accounting Policies: The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of Home Share, HUD Project #092-HD017, under programs of the federal government for the year ended December 31, 2022. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of Home Share, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of Home Share. Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting, except for the capital advance balance as discussed below. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: Home Share did not elect to use the 10% de minimis cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance. Federal expenditures for the capital advance received under the Supporting Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) in the Schedule represent the beginning of the year balance of capital advance outstanding for previous years for which the grantor imposes continuing compliance requirements. The balance outstanding as of December 31, 2022 was $1,254,600.

Finding Details

SECTION II ? FINDINGS - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AUDIT No matters were reported. SECTION III ? FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS -MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT 2022-001 Lack of Review Department of Housing and Urban Development AL #14.181 - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) Material Weakness Category of Finding ? Eligibility Condition ? In 2022, Home Share did not have controls in place to ensure that eligibility criteria and rent calculations were being reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Criteria ? 2 CFR section 200.303 requires that organizations who receive federal awards establish and maintain effective internal controls over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the organization is managing the federal award in compliance with the federal statues, regulations, and terms and conditions of the award. It also states that controls "should" be in compliance with guidance in "standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government" issued by the Comptroller General of the United State (the Green Book) or the "Internal Control Integrated Framework", issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Illustrative specific design and implementation of control activates over eligibility include the following (excerpt from the Green Book): ? Proper design of control activities to ensure program compliance should include a process for management to identify and put into effect actions need to carry out specific responses to risks identified in the risk assessment process such as providing benefits to ineligible individuals, calculating amounts to be received for or on behalf of individuals incorrectly, unauthorized changes to system configurations, fraud, unauthorized payments, etc. ? Segregations of duties should exist between those determining a participant's eligibility and those reviewing/approving eligibility. Where segregation of duties is not practical, management should select and develop alternative control activities. Management should establish responsibility and accountability for control activities with management (or other designated personnel) of the unit or function in which the relevant risks reside. Responsible personnel should perform control activities in a timely manner as defined by policies and procedures. Cause ? Due to the limited number of staff employed by the Organization in the Housing department there is a lack of adequate segregation of duties in regards to review eligibility and rent calculations. Effect ? By not having proper implementation of controls to ensure that recertifications and rent calculations are reviewed and/or approved, there is a risk that individuals are allowed to continue in the program after becoming ineligible and that rent calculations do not determine the proper split between the tenant payment and the project rental assistance payment. Questioned Costs ? None. Recommendation ? We recommend controls be put in place to ensure the eligibility determinations and rent calculations (initial or recertifications) be reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the determination. Management?s Response and Corrective Action ? Management agrees with this finding. Beginning in January 2022, management has contracted out the eligibility determination process to a third-party contractor with significant experience in affordable housing and similar processes. Management is working with the contractor to include a second individual in this process so that there will be a review performed by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Responsible party for corrective action: Robert Pickering, Chief Financial Officer Ernest Johnson, Housing Associate Director Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding. A similar finding was reported as 2021-001 in 2021.
SECTION II ? FINDINGS - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AUDIT No matters were reported. SECTION III ? FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS -MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT 2022-001 Lack of Review Department of Housing and Urban Development AL #14.181 - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) Material Weakness Category of Finding ? Eligibility Condition ? In 2022, Home Share did not have controls in place to ensure that eligibility criteria and rent calculations were being reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Criteria ? 2 CFR section 200.303 requires that organizations who receive federal awards establish and maintain effective internal controls over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the organization is managing the federal award in compliance with the federal statues, regulations, and terms and conditions of the award. It also states that controls "should" be in compliance with guidance in "standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government" issued by the Comptroller General of the United State (the Green Book) or the "Internal Control Integrated Framework", issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Illustrative specific design and implementation of control activates over eligibility include the following (excerpt from the Green Book): ? Proper design of control activities to ensure program compliance should include a process for management to identify and put into effect actions need to carry out specific responses to risks identified in the risk assessment process such as providing benefits to ineligible individuals, calculating amounts to be received for or on behalf of individuals incorrectly, unauthorized changes to system configurations, fraud, unauthorized payments, etc. ? Segregations of duties should exist between those determining a participant's eligibility and those reviewing/approving eligibility. Where segregation of duties is not practical, management should select and develop alternative control activities. Management should establish responsibility and accountability for control activities with management (or other designated personnel) of the unit or function in which the relevant risks reside. Responsible personnel should perform control activities in a timely manner as defined by policies and procedures. Cause ? Due to the limited number of staff employed by the Organization in the Housing department there is a lack of adequate segregation of duties in regards to review eligibility and rent calculations. Effect ? By not having proper implementation of controls to ensure that recertifications and rent calculations are reviewed and/or approved, there is a risk that individuals are allowed to continue in the program after becoming ineligible and that rent calculations do not determine the proper split between the tenant payment and the project rental assistance payment. Questioned Costs ? None. Recommendation ? We recommend controls be put in place to ensure the eligibility determinations and rent calculations (initial or recertifications) be reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the determination. Management?s Response and Corrective Action ? Management agrees with this finding. Beginning in January 2022, management has contracted out the eligibility determination process to a third-party contractor with significant experience in affordable housing and similar processes. Management is working with the contractor to include a second individual in this process so that there will be a review performed by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Responsible party for corrective action: Robert Pickering, Chief Financial Officer Ernest Johnson, Housing Associate Director Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding. A similar finding was reported as 2021-001 in 2021.
SECTION II ? FINDINGS - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AUDIT No matters were reported. SECTION III ? FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS -MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT 2022-001 Lack of Review Department of Housing and Urban Development AL #14.181 - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) Material Weakness Category of Finding ? Eligibility Condition ? In 2022, Home Share did not have controls in place to ensure that eligibility criteria and rent calculations were being reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Criteria ? 2 CFR section 200.303 requires that organizations who receive federal awards establish and maintain effective internal controls over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the organization is managing the federal award in compliance with the federal statues, regulations, and terms and conditions of the award. It also states that controls "should" be in compliance with guidance in "standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government" issued by the Comptroller General of the United State (the Green Book) or the "Internal Control Integrated Framework", issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Illustrative specific design and implementation of control activates over eligibility include the following (excerpt from the Green Book): ? Proper design of control activities to ensure program compliance should include a process for management to identify and put into effect actions need to carry out specific responses to risks identified in the risk assessment process such as providing benefits to ineligible individuals, calculating amounts to be received for or on behalf of individuals incorrectly, unauthorized changes to system configurations, fraud, unauthorized payments, etc. ? Segregations of duties should exist between those determining a participant's eligibility and those reviewing/approving eligibility. Where segregation of duties is not practical, management should select and develop alternative control activities. Management should establish responsibility and accountability for control activities with management (or other designated personnel) of the unit or function in which the relevant risks reside. Responsible personnel should perform control activities in a timely manner as defined by policies and procedures. Cause ? Due to the limited number of staff employed by the Organization in the Housing department there is a lack of adequate segregation of duties in regards to review eligibility and rent calculations. Effect ? By not having proper implementation of controls to ensure that recertifications and rent calculations are reviewed and/or approved, there is a risk that individuals are allowed to continue in the program after becoming ineligible and that rent calculations do not determine the proper split between the tenant payment and the project rental assistance payment. Questioned Costs ? None. Recommendation ? We recommend controls be put in place to ensure the eligibility determinations and rent calculations (initial or recertifications) be reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the determination. Management?s Response and Corrective Action ? Management agrees with this finding. Beginning in January 2022, management has contracted out the eligibility determination process to a third-party contractor with significant experience in affordable housing and similar processes. Management is working with the contractor to include a second individual in this process so that there will be a review performed by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Responsible party for corrective action: Robert Pickering, Chief Financial Officer Ernest Johnson, Housing Associate Director Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding. A similar finding was reported as 2021-001 in 2021.
SECTION II ? FINDINGS - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AUDIT No matters were reported. SECTION III ? FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS -MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT 2022-001 Lack of Review Department of Housing and Urban Development AL #14.181 - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) Material Weakness Category of Finding ? Eligibility Condition ? In 2022, Home Share did not have controls in place to ensure that eligibility criteria and rent calculations were being reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Criteria ? 2 CFR section 200.303 requires that organizations who receive federal awards establish and maintain effective internal controls over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the organization is managing the federal award in compliance with the federal statues, regulations, and terms and conditions of the award. It also states that controls "should" be in compliance with guidance in "standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government" issued by the Comptroller General of the United State (the Green Book) or the "Internal Control Integrated Framework", issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Illustrative specific design and implementation of control activates over eligibility include the following (excerpt from the Green Book): ? Proper design of control activities to ensure program compliance should include a process for management to identify and put into effect actions need to carry out specific responses to risks identified in the risk assessment process such as providing benefits to ineligible individuals, calculating amounts to be received for or on behalf of individuals incorrectly, unauthorized changes to system configurations, fraud, unauthorized payments, etc. ? Segregations of duties should exist between those determining a participant's eligibility and those reviewing/approving eligibility. Where segregation of duties is not practical, management should select and develop alternative control activities. Management should establish responsibility and accountability for control activities with management (or other designated personnel) of the unit or function in which the relevant risks reside. Responsible personnel should perform control activities in a timely manner as defined by policies and procedures. Cause ? Due to the limited number of staff employed by the Organization in the Housing department there is a lack of adequate segregation of duties in regards to review eligibility and rent calculations. Effect ? By not having proper implementation of controls to ensure that recertifications and rent calculations are reviewed and/or approved, there is a risk that individuals are allowed to continue in the program after becoming ineligible and that rent calculations do not determine the proper split between the tenant payment and the project rental assistance payment. Questioned Costs ? None. Recommendation ? We recommend controls be put in place to ensure the eligibility determinations and rent calculations (initial or recertifications) be reviewed and/or approved by someone other than the individual making the determination. Management?s Response and Corrective Action ? Management agrees with this finding. Beginning in January 2022, management has contracted out the eligibility determination process to a third-party contractor with significant experience in affordable housing and similar processes. Management is working with the contractor to include a second individual in this process so that there will be a review performed by someone other than the individual making the initial determination or annual recertification. Responsible party for corrective action: Robert Pickering, Chief Financial Officer Ernest Johnson, Housing Associate Director Repeat Finding: This is a repeat finding. A similar finding was reported as 2021-001 in 2021.