Finding 1200736 (2025-005)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-30
Audit: 395733
Organization: Municipality of Penuelas (PR)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Municipality failed to submit any required quarterly financial reports for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program during fiscal year 2024–2025.
  • Impacted Requirements: This noncompliance violates federal regulations (2 CFR 200.328 and 200.329) that mandate timely and accurate financial reporting by subrecipients.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish a compliance calendar for CDBG reports and enhance internal controls to ensure timely submissions and monitoring of financial activities.

Finding Text

FINDING REFERENCE 2025-005 FEDERAL AGENCY U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FEDERAL PROGRAM TITLE AND ALN: Community Development Block Grants / State’s Program and Non Entitlement Grants in Hawaii (ALN 14.228) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT TYPE OF FINDING Reporting – Financial Reporting (L) (MW) TYPE OF FINDING Material weaknesses in Internal Control (MW), Instance of Noncompliance (NC) CONDITION The Municipality, as a subrecipient of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) State Program and CDBG-CV funds, did not submit any of the required quarterly financial reports titled “Relación de Ingresos y Desembolsos” to the pass-through entity during fiscal year 2024–2025. Specifically, none of the four (4) quarterly reports required for the fiscal year were submitted, despite the existence of program expenditures and financial activity subject to reporting. CRITERIA Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.328 and 200.329 require subrecipients to submit accurate, complete, and timely performance and financial reports in accordance with the terms andconditions of the Federal award. Additionally, 2 CFR 200.303 requires non-Federal entities to establish and maintain effective internal control over Federal programs to provide reasonable assurance that Federal awards are managed in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the award. CAUSE OF CONDITION The program staff faced performance challenges due to a lack of staff which caused the accounting records to be delayed. EFFECT OF CONDITION Because the required quarterly financial reports were not submitted, the pass-through entity did not receive timely financial information necessary to monitor program expenditures and compliance with CDBG State Program requirements. RECOMMENDATION We recommend establishing a formal compliance calendar identifying all required CDBG quarterly reports, due dates, and responsible personnel. Also, we recommend the Municipality’s management implement proper internal controls in order to ensure that the reports are submitted timely. QUESTIONED COSTS None. PRIOR YEAR FINDING This finding is new. VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS AND PLANNED CORRECTIVE ACTION The Municipality provides training to personnel responsible for gran reporting, covering the preparation and timely submission of all CDBG financial reports, including proper documentation and reconciliation of program expenditures. The Municipality has assigned a staff member to monitor all grant reporting deadlines and coordinate with the pass-through entity to ensure timely report submissions. IMPLEMENTATION DATE February 23, 2026 RESPONSIBLE PERSON Mrs. Omayra Báez Caraballo Finance Department Director

Corrective Action Plan

We concur with the finding. The Municipality has implemented the following corrective measures: The Municipality provides training to personnel responsible for grant reporting, covering the preparation and timely submission of all CDBG financial reports, including proper documentation and reconciliation of program expenditures. The Municipality has assigned a staff member to monitor all grant reporting deadlines and coordinate with the pass-through entity to ensure timely report submissions. Implementation date: July 1, 2026 Responsible Person: Mrs. Omayra Báez Caraballo Finance Department Director

Categories

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Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1200737 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $4.54M
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $3.87M
97.030 COMMUNITY DISASTER LOANS $2.62M
14.871 SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS $921,213
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII -DISASTER RECOVERY $179,947
93.575 CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT $162,248
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII $149,223