Audit 364605

2024-002 Department of Housing and Urban Development, Assistance Listing Number 14.239 Home Investment Program: Income Verification Criteria: Organizations that operate rental housing developed with HOME funds are responsible for verifying and documenting tenant income to ensure that units are rented to eligible low-income households. Complete and accurate income documentation is essential to demonstrate compliance with program eligibility requirements and long-term affordability commitments. Condition: During our review of 34 tenant files for HOME-funded rental units, we noted the following: • 6 files did not contain any income verification documentation • 1 file included income documentation, but it was incomplete and missing required supporting documentation Cause: These issues primarily occurred during a transition in property management. The change in personnel and processes led to a lapse in documentation and inconsistent application of income verification procedures. Effect: Without proper income verification, there is a risk that units may be rented to households that do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, the absence of documentation may hinder the Organization’s ability to demonstrate compliance during monitoring or audit reviews. Questioned Costs: Not applicable. Auditor’s Recommendation: We recommend that management strengthen internal controls over the income verification process by: • Implementing a standardized checklist for required documentation • Providing staff training on income verification procedures • Conducting supervisory reviews of all files prior to tenant approval, especially during periods of staff transition Auditee’s Response: Management agrees with the finding and has taken steps to address the issue. Four of the seven identified files have been updated with complete income documentation for 2025, and the remaining three are in process.

2024-002 Department of Housing and Urban Development, Assistance Listing Number 14.239 Home Investment Program: Income Verification Criteria: Organizations that operate rental housing developed with HOME funds are responsible for verifying and documenting tenant income to ensure that units are rented to eligible low-income households. Complete and accurate income documentation is essential to demonstrate compliance with program eligibility requirements and long-term affordability commitments. Condition: During our review of 34 tenant files for HOME-funded rental units, we noted the following: • 6 files did not contain any income verification documentation • 1 file included income documentation, but it was incomplete and missing required supporting documentation Cause: These issues primarily occurred during a transition in property management. The change in personnel and processes led to a lapse in documentation and inconsistent application of income verification procedures. Effect: Without proper income verification, there is a risk that units may be rented to households that do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, the absence of documentation may hinder the Organization’s ability to demonstrate compliance during monitoring or audit reviews. Questioned Costs: Not applicable. Auditor’s Recommendation: We recommend that management strengthen internal controls over the income verification process by: • Implementing a standardized checklist for required documentation • Providing staff training on income verification procedures • Conducting supervisory reviews of all files prior to tenant approval, especially during periods of staff transition Auditee’s Response: Management agrees with the finding and has taken steps to address the issue. Four of the seven identified files have been updated with complete income documentation for 2025, and the remaining three are in process.