Finding 1179021 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
F
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-11
Audit: 391445
Organization: Heading Home (NM)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Significant deficiency in internal controls led to late submission of required Project and Expenditure Reports for federal awards.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with federal reporting deadlines was not met, affecting adherence to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement procedures to ensure timely report submissions and maintain organized documentation for compliance.

Finding Text

2025-001 (2024-002) – REPORTING Type of Finding: (F) significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance of Federal Awards, (G) Instance of Non-Compliance Related to Federal Awards Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, passed through the City of Albuquerque Title: Community Development Block Grant AL #: 14.231 Award #:E-24-MC-35-0001 and E-24-MW-35-0001 Statement of Condition Heading Home does not appear to have controls in place for the review and timely submittance of the Project and Expenditure Reports that are required on a recurring basis. Context During our testing of internal controls over compliance, we noted the following: Two of eight reports tested were filed after their due date. Criteria Auditors are required to assess compliance with the reporting requirements for the major program tested. These requirements require a Project and Expenditure Report to be filed on a regular, recurring basis. The reporting frequency and deadlines vary by type of recipient and total allocation amount. Cause: Heading Home did not have procedures in place to ensure these required reports were submitted on time. Effect: Heading Home is not in compliance with Federal Award requirements as they were delinquent in turning in a number of required reports. Failure to submit reports in a timely manner could result in a misstatement going undetected and uncorrected. Recommendation: Ensure documentation is organized and readily available to fulfill Federal Award compliance. Additionally, ensure timing of filing the report is made a priority. Award Period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026 Questioned Costs: None

Corrective Action Plan

Heading Home management is in agreement with this finding. After years of turnover in key management positions steps have been taken to address staffing challenges and these positions have been successfully staffed with high-quality individuals who bring extensive knowledge and expertise to their roles. These positions include a new Chief Executive Officer, Director of Operations, Chief Financial Officer, and Director of Human Resources. To address challenges in accounting and finance Heading Home had contracted with a local CPA firm specializing in nonprofit accounting and financial reporting to assist the CFO with daily accounting tasks, the monthly close, financial reporting to management and the board of directors, and to facilitate and ensure audits are completed timely each year. The new management group is committed to maintaining a skilled and competent team in key financial roles. Due to the backlog of billings at the opening of FY24, the quarterly reports for the first quarter were submitted late. With the new staff and assistance, these billings and quarterly reports were brought current as quickly as possible. They are now current and being submitted in a timely manner. Management’s corrective action plan was fully implemented by June 30, 2025, and anticipate that there will be no further issues. Personnel responsible for ensuring implementation include Connie Chavez, Chief Executive Officer, and Debbie Brickman, Chief Financial Officer.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Reporting Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $500,000
14.231 EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM $474,636
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $152,476
16.838 COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID, STIMULANT, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES USE PROGRAM $10,360