Finding Text
2025-001 Eligibility – Tenant Files Section 8 Housing Voucher Cluster (Section 8): 14.871 Section 8 – Housing Choice Vouchers 14.879 Mainstream Vouchers Significant Deficiency in Internal Control and Other Matter to be Reported Under the Uniform Guidance Statement of Condition: Out of a total tenant population of approximately 2,025 tenants, a sample of 25 files was selected for testing. Exceptions were noted in 9 of the 25 files, categorized as follows: • 3 tenant file errors where the Authority did not generate the required EIV form. • 1 tenant file had the following errors: o The Authority did not generate the required EIV form. o The child support income was miscalculated and SNAP benefits were included in the income calculation. Correcting the income errors increased the HAP rent from $774 to $869. • 1 tenant file error where the child support income was miscalculated. Correcting the error would decrease the HAP rent from $1,500 to $1,476. • 1 tenant file error where the tenant’s income was miscalculated. Correcting the error would decrease HAP rent from $552 to $279. • 1 tenant file where the tenant’s income was miscalculated. Correcting the issue would increase the HAP rent from $501 to $517. • 1 tenant file error where medical expenses were erroneously reported on the HUD-50058 form. Correcting the error would decrease the HAP rent from $524 to $500. • 1 tenant file error where the utility allowance was miscalculated. Correcting this error would increase the HAP rent from $1,027 to $1,145. Criteria: 24 CFR 982.516 requires internal controls to be in place to ensure compliance with HUD requirements, as well as maintain complete and accurate tenant files. In addition, the Authority’s Administrative Plan requires staff to follow proper procedures for the determination of HAP and to maintain adequate documentation in tenant files. Questioned Costs: None reported. Effect: The Authority is not in compliance with all HUD requirements regarding eligibility and tenant recertifications. This lack of compliance resulted in incorrect Total Tenant Payments and both overpayments and underpayments of HAP to landlords. Cause: Established procedures to ensure compliance with HUD requirements were not consistently followed, and there was a lack of sufficient secondary quality control reviews to catch clerical errors prior to finalization. Recommendation: The Authority should correct the deficiencies noted in the tested files and utilize an ongoing, secondary quality control review process for a sample of the entire tenant population to ensure proper compliance with eligibility requirements. Furthermore, management should provide ongoing staff training, conduct timely reviews of tenant files, and evaluate current staffing levels, skill sets and caseloads to ensure staff have the capacity to execute their duties accurately. Views of Responsible Officials of the Auditee: The Authority concurs with this finding and will implement review procedures and provide ongoing training to staff.