Finding Text
Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Federal Program Name: Lower Income Housing Assistance Program – Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation / Section 8 New Construction and Substantial Rehabilitation
Assistance Listing Number: 14.856/14.182
Federal Award Identification Number and Year: OH003 - 2023
Award Period: January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023
Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance and Other Matters
Criteria or specific requirement: The PHA or owner must provide housing that is decent, safe, and sanitary, To achieve this end, the PHA or owner must perform housing quality inspections at the time of initial occupancy and at least annually thereafter to ensure that the units are decent, safe and sanitary (24 CFR sections 880.612, 881.601, 882.516, 882.808(n), 883.701, 884.217, 886.123 and 886.323).
Condition: During our testing of 40 tenant files for housing quality standard (HQS) requirements, we noted that 5 tenants selected did not have a HQS inspection performed annually.
Questioned costs: Unknown
Context: Testing of 40 Section 8 Project-Based Cluster tenant files identified an exception in 5 files. In these instances, the tenants had not had an annual HQS inspection.
Cause: During the audited period, the Authority underwent a generational change in its system of record, changed inspection vendors, experienced a fifty percent turnover in the inspections in-house team and processed an unprecedented volume of HQS in-person inspections required by HUD as it emerged from COVID pandemic waivers. Since 2023, the inspections team is reviewing our inspections processes to ensure compliance with HQS guidelines and requirements.
Effect: The Authority is not in compliance with HUD guidelines for HQS requirements.
Repeat Finding: No
Recommendation: We recommend the Authority review their process for scheduling inspections to ensure they are performed timely.
Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.