2024-001
Federal Agency:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Federal Program Name:
HOME Investment Partnership Program
Assistance Listing Number:
14.239
Pass-Through Agencies:
City of Philadelphia, Redevelopment Authority:
Venango – Loan
Thompson Street – Loan
County of S...
2024-001
Federal Agency:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Federal Program Name:
HOME Investment Partnership Program
Assistance Listing Number:
14.239
Pass-Through Agencies:
City of Philadelphia, Redevelopment Authority:
Venango – Loan
Thompson Street – Loan
County of Schuylkill - Home Investment Partnerships and Housing Trust Funds Programs: Fountain Springs - Loan
Mayor and City of Baltimore:
Baltimore Housing - Park Heights Women and Children - Loan
Condition:
As part of the eligibility requirement for the HOME Investment Partnership program, we are required to review files of client residents who were provided residential drug and alcohol treatment services at the Organization’s locations in Venango (Re-Entry), Fountain Springs, Thompson Street, and Park Heights Women and Children. We sampled a total of 40 resident clients at these four locations covered by HOME loans and requested documentation within client resident files, including proof of residency, proof of income (low income or homeless), and lease or housing agreement (depending on program requirements). Of the 40 resident client files reviewed, management was unable to provide any proof of income or determination of homelessness or residency for 24 files.
Recommendation:
We recommend that management adopt policies and procedures including both the communication of compliance requirements between staff and locations and the development of documentation and processes to assist in how income eligibility is determined. This includes management developing certain income verification documents that can be used as part of the intake process for determining the eligibility of the residential client. In addition, process will need to be developed for the redetermination of income if a residential client has lived over a year at a particular location.
Explanation of Disagreement with Audit Finding
There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Gaudenzia, Inc believes that had the requisite documentation been completed, it would have been in compliance with the low-income compliance requirement as the referral sources that were used to place the clients in the program are all coming from CBH as well as other MCO funded partners. These referral sources are typically Medicaid clients and are typically well below the low-income requirement thresholds.
Action taken in response to finding:
Gaudenzia, Inc has incorporated existing low-income eligibility procedures to the Project Home Loans program sites to be in full compliance of the eligibility requirements. These procedures will be reinforced within our programs to ensure the requisite documentation is in place.
Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action:
Nikant Ohri, Chief Financial Officer, nikant.ohri@guadenzia.org (610) 860-2061
Planned completion date for corrective action plan:
June 30, 2025