Reference Number: 2025-002 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Title: Housing Choice Cluster Federal Catalog Number: 14.871 and 14.879 Federal Grant Number: Not Applicable Category of Finding: Special Tests and Provisions (Housing Quality Standards Inspec...
Reference Number: 2025-002 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Title: Housing Choice Cluster Federal Catalog Number: 14.871 and 14.879 Federal Grant Number: Not Applicable Category of Finding: Special Tests and Provisions (Housing Quality Standards Inspections) Classification of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Instance of Noncompliance Authority’s Response & Actions Taken The Authority has made substantial progress in resolving the backlog of Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspections that originated during the COVID-19 period, when HUD waivers and restricted unit access limited the ability to conduct timely inspections. Since that time, the Authority has reestablished normal inspection operations and significantly improved inspection volume and completion rates. All inspections noted in the audit were completed shortly after the required timeframes, and each unit ultimately passed HQS inspection and met HUD’s requirements for safe, decent, and sanitary housing. These results reflect that there was no impact to housing quality or participant eligibility, but rather timing-related delays within an actively managed inspection pipeline. The instances identified in the audit are largely attributable to timing of the audit sample selection, during which certain inspections were in process and scheduled but had not yet been completed. This does not fully reflect the Authority’s current operational performance or the progress achieved in reducing the inspection backlog. The Authority has established ongoing procedures to prioritize and monitor inspection timeliness, including use of the Emphasys Elite system in coordination with HUD’s PIC system to identify and track units approaching or exceeding inspection deadlines. Units identified as nearing noncompliance are actively scheduled and completed, and the Authority continues to work closely with its third-party HCV contractors to maintain consistent inspection coverage. The Authority continues to enhance oversight, tracking, and contractor accountability to ensure sustained compliance with HUD standards. The enhanced oversight and monitoring resulted in SEMAP fiscal year end 9/30/2025 with High Performer status, and current performance trends show the Authority is well positioned to maintain SEMAP High Performer status for the current fiscal year. Specifically for SEMAP Indicator 12 for Annual HQS Inspections, the Authority achieved 10 out of 10 points for fiscal year end 9/30/2025, which was an improvement from the prior fiscal year of 0 out of 10 points, and currently projected to maintain full points for this indicator with 97% timely annual HQS inspections completed. The key strategies and controls in place are as follows: Tenant-Based Program: Review the report of outstanding HQS Inspections on a weekly basis. Schedule outstanding HQS Inspections in order of aging date. Conduct HQS Inspections prior to the anniversary date of previously completed inspection. Running a monthly report of failed inspections and comparing them with future scheduled inspections to ensure that a second inspection has been scheduled. Running a monthly report to identify units with two failed inspections to ensure all have been abated correctly. Implement weekly monitoring to ensure all units are properly abated and lifted timely when units pass inspections and contracts are properly terminated after being in abatement for 180 days without a cure. The Authority has worked with Emphasys to identify the best ways to sort aged HQS inspections due and generate/schedule in bulk, as well as maximize the Inspector’s workday by routing the tenantbased units in a way that flows in a clear and orderly manner. Similar to the handling of delinquent annual reexaminations, the Authority is checking the data in PIC with the system of records and processing 50058 corrections where inspections have been completed but rejected in PIC due to out of sequence effective dates and any other fatal errors that require corrective action. Anticipated Implementation Date September 30, 2026 Name(s) and Title(s) of Contact Person(s) Responsible for Correction Action HCV Contractors Kendra Crawford, Director of Housing Operations