Finding 1167048 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2025-12-30
Audit: 378142
Auditor: GEELLLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Delays in recording and reconciling general ledger activities, leading to significant errors in financial reporting.
  • Impacted Requirements: The Authority must ensure accurate financial reporting and maintain effective internal controls as per U.S. GAAP.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Reassess internal accounting responsibilities to enhance reconciliation processes and minimize reliance on individual roles.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-002: Reconciliation and Reporting Reporting Public Housing Operating Fund AL# 14.850 Significant Deficiency Statement of Condition Certain general ledger activity, especially bank accounts and interfund balances, were not recorded or reconciled in a timely manner. Further, the Unaudited Financial Data Schedule (FDS) contained material errors and omissions. Criteria The Authority is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting to ensure that financial transactions are accurately recorded, properly classified, and reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Controls should operate at a level of precision that prevents or detects material misstatements in a timely manner. Further, the FDS is the Authority’s primary means of reporting annual financial and programmatic information and is the basis for meeting financial statement reporting requirements as well as reporting federal expenditures to HUD. Cause Significant employee turnover in key positions within the Authority, including the unexpected loss of the newest Director of Finance. Effect or Potential Effect Significant yearend adjustments were required to report financial activity. In addition, the absence of timely recording and reconciliation reduces the routine review processes, thereby increasing the likelihood that errors, omissions, and misclassifications could occur. Recommendation We recommend the Authority reevaluate internal responsibilities over the internal accounting function to increase financial reconciliation capacity and reduce the reliance of accounting functions on a single position. Management’s Response Management agrees with the finding, see Corrective Action Plan for plan of action.

Corrective Action Plan

The first step was to hire a director of finance (the 3rd hirer in the past 2 years passed away suddenly) which was completed in February 2025. The second step was to hire third party CPA consultants familiar with accounting system to correct activity and design of system for ongoing use. Finally, training of support staff and monitoring of the monthly accounting procedures completed upon correction of historical activity.

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Cash Management Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1167049 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.871 SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS $2.61M
14.850 PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND $1.14M
14.872 PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND $958,111