Finding 1160902 (2025-007)

Finding 2025-007: Utility Allowances Housing Choice Voucher, 14.871 Material Weakness/Noncompliance – Special Tests and Provisions Repeat Finding 2024-005 Criteria: The Authority must maintain an up-to-date utility allowance schedule. The Authority must review utility rate data for each utility category each year and must adjust its utility allowance schedule if there has been a rate change of 10 percent or more for a utility category or fuel type since the last time the utility allowance schedule was revised (24 CFR section 982.517). Condition: The Authority had not updated utility rates since the April 1, 2021 effective date schedules. Cause: It was a finding in the prior year that the Authority did not update the utility allowances. The Authority contacted a company to perform the analysis but the Authority felt it was too expensive and then failed to calculate the rates itself. The Authority then contacted another company but the process has not yet been completed. Effect or Potential Effect: The Authority did not comply with the requirements of 24 CFR §982.405. Recommendation: The Authority should review the requirements of 24 CFR §982.405 and establish a system of where the utility allowance is reviewed and documented during each fiscal year. View of the Responsible Officials of the Auditee: The auditee's management agrees with the finding.