Finding 1157227 (2024-004)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
ABH
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-09-30
Audit: 369522
Organization: Community Housing Solutions (OH)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There are significant deficiencies in internal controls over payroll disbursements, leading to discrepancies in timecard reporting.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with §200.303 requires effective internal controls to ensure proper management of federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Review and revise payroll disbursement controls to ensure all information is accurate and properly approved before reimbursement submissions.

Finding Text

Information on the Federal Program: United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistance Listing Number: 14.218 Program Name: CDBG – Entitlement Grants Cluster Pass-through Awards under the Uniform Guidance Requirements: Pass-through Entity Award Number Award Period City of Cleveland Multiple Multiple Cuyahoga County Multiple Multiple Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency Criteria: In accordance with §200.303, Internal Controls, the non-federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-federal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: During our internal controls over compliance and compliance testing relating to payroll disbursements, we noted the following: • 3 instances where the approved timecards did not match the hours reported in the reimbursement submission. • 3 instances where the timecards did not agree to the ADP payroll report. • 1 instance where the timecard was not approved prior to submission for reimbursement. Cause: The internal controls established did not operate as designed due to personnel changes in the accounting department responsible for gathering such information. Effect or Potential Effect: An ineffective control system related to internal controls over compliance can lead to noncompliance with laws and regulations and loss of funding for the related program. Questioned Costs: None Context: This is a condition based on testing of the Organization’s internal controls over compliance and compliance with specified requirements using a non-statistical method. The prevalence of these findings is detailed in the conditions section above. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization review, and revise as needed, its controls over review of the payroll disbursement support prior to submission for reimbursement to ensure all information agrees and is properly reviewed and approved. Views of Responsible Officials: The Organization’s management agrees with the finding and recommendations set forth within and has developed a corrective action plan to address the significant deficiency identified.

Corrective Action Plan

Management will implement a dual-review process for payroll submissions, requiring both supervisor approval of timecards and accounting verification against payroll system reports. Supervisors and payroll staff will undergo training on compliance requirements. Ongoing random spot checks will be performed to ensure consistency and accuracy, and to confirm compliance.

Categories

Subrecipient Monitoring Cash Management Significant Deficiency Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1157224 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1157225 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1157226 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.913 Healthy Homes Production Program $118,991
66.616 Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program $81,531
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $80,704