Finding 1163361 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-12-03

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Internal controls over compliance are inadequate, leading to outdated income thresholds on tenant recertification forms.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with eligibility criteria as outlined in §200.303 of 2 CFR Part 200 is not being met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Regularly review and update income limits from HUD during tenant certification to ensure compliance.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Name: Project-Based Rental Assistance Assistance Listing Number: 14.195 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 121EH007 Pass-Through Agency: N/A Award Period: April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025 Compliance Requirement Affected: Eligibility Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria or specific requirement: According to §200.303 Internal Controls of 2 CFR Part 200, 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: Income thresholds, on HUD-50059 tenant recertification forms, were not properly updated to the applicable period, using available income limits published by HUD for the County of Santa Cruz. Questioned costs: None noted. Context: A nonstatistical sample of 12 out of 100 tenant files were selected for testing for the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program. The discrepancy, in the maximum income limit, was identified during the auditor's testing of tenant eligibility to participate in the affordable housing program. Cause: Management oversight on properly updating the income limit thresholds. Effect: Noncompliance results in possible exclusion of eligible applicants as the income limits increased from the income limits used. Repeat Finding: Yes Recommendation: We recommend that the organization review the changes in income limits published by HUD during the tenant certification and recertification process in order to properly update income limits accordingly on form HUD-50059. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program – Assistance Listing No. 14.195 Corrective action plan - management response: Management to update income limits in Onesite to reflect HUD income limits applicable as of the tenant’s application date. Management experienced delays in accessing HUD platforms, due to a change in leadership during the prior year. Access to all HUD portals has now been fully restored, and management is actively reviewing tenant recertification forms. Further training is underway to ensure proper oversight and timely compliance with HUD requirements. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Marsha Larkin Marani, Project Manager Planned completion date for corrective action plan: March 2025 (as Income Thresholds become available annually by HUD)

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1163362 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1163363 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.195 PROJECT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE (PBRA) $1.66M