Finding 1190842 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-27

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Authority lacks adequate segregation of duties due to limited staff, risking financial misstatements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls are not effectively preventing or detecting errors in financial transactions.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Regularly assess and improve the current structure for better duty segregation, even if ideal conditions aren't feasible.

Finding Text

Criteria: A fundamental concept of a system of internal controls is the segregation of incompatible duties. Condition: Due to the limited size of the Authority's business staff and related resources available, the Authority does not have adequate segregation of duties so that no one individual handles a transaction from its inception to its completion. Questioned Costs: None. Effect: The control deficiency could result in a misstatement to the financial statements that would not be prevented or detected in a timely manner. Cause: Limited number of staff and hours available preclude the Authority from ideal segregation of duties of separating the assignment of different staff people to authorize transactions, record transactions, and maintain custody of assets. Repeat Finding: This finding was reported in the prior year as finding 2024-001. Recommendation: Although it may not be economically feasible for the Authority to attain an ideal segregation of duties environment, the Authority can periodically observe and evaluate its current structure to make improvements when considered necessary. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Authority is in agreement with the finding. See separately issued Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Recommendation: Although it may not be economically feasible for the Authority to attain an ideal segregation of duties environment, the Authority can periodically observe and evaluate its current structure to make improvements when considered necessary. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The Authority has determined the benefit of adequately segregating duties is less than cost. Based on the assessment, the Authority is accepting the risk posed by the deficiency while also evaluating mitigating controls that will help reduce the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements. Management attempts to mitigate the associated risks by doing the following: 1. Identifies areas where lack of segregation of duties exists and where there are higher risks of error or fraud occurring. 2. Implements limited segregation to the extent possible to reduce risks without impairing efficiency. 3. Uses the knowledge that management and the Board of Directors have of operations by having them review certain accounting records and reports. 4. Monitors the effectiveness of the above actions and makes changes as considered necessary.

Categories

Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1190839 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190840 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190841 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190843 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1190844 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.871 SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS $1.13M
14.872 PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND $386,336
14.879 MAINSTREAM VOUCHERS $252,586
14.850 PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND $199,175