Finding Text
Finding 2024-001 – Housing Choice Voucher Tenant Files – Eligibility – Noncompliance & Significant Deficiency – Housing Choice Voucher Program – ALN #14.871
Condition & Cause:
We reviewed ten (10) tenant files from the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and found three (3) files, or 30% of our sample, to be noncompliant. We noted two (2) files did not contain an Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) report that should have been pulled during reexamination, and one (1) file was missing a signed Declaration of Section 214 Status.
We believe these instances of noncompliance may be linked to the ongoing staff turnover in recent years. During the audit period, the Agency had three different Executive Directors and three different HCV Specialists.
Criteria:
The Code of Federal Regulations, the Housing Authority Administrative Plan and specific HUD guidelines in documenting and maintaining Housing Choice Voucher tenant files.
Effect:
Failure to maintain a Declaration of Status 214 or to use the EIV system in its entirety can result in errors in subsidy calculation or eligibility determination, as well as compromise the program’s compliance with regulatory requirements.
Recommendation:
We recommend that the Agency conduct a thorough tenant file audit of existing tenants to determine whether there are any additional misstatements. The Agency should determine the best way to monitor compliance with local and federal regulations as it pertains to tenant documentation and adjust internal procedures immediately.
Questioned Costs: None
Repeat Finding: Yes
Was sampling statistically valid? Yes