Finding 1205507 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-31
Audit: 397193
Organization: City of Pensacola (FL)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Tenant files lack documentation explaining the absence of third-party income verification.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 24 CFR section 982.516 and the Pensacola Housing Administrative Plan is not met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen internal controls to ensure proper documentation and compliance with eligibility verification requirements.

Finding Text

FINDING 2025-001 - INTERNAL CONTROL OVER ELIGIBILITY Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program: Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers Assistance Listing Number: 14.871 Compliance Requirement: Eligibility Audit Finding: Significant Deficiency Criteria: 24 CFR section 982.516 and Pensacola Housing's Administrative Plan state a tenant file must document why third-party income verification was not available. party income verification was not obtained. In these instances, other methods of verifying income were utilized. The use of the alternative verification methods did not result in noncompliance with program eligibility; however, the tenant files did not document why third-party income verification was not utilized. Cause: Failure to execute internal controls over the federal Eligibility compliance requirement. Effect: Non-compliance with the federal Eligibility requirement. Failure in internal controls could result in improper housing assistance payments. Questioned Cost: None Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: We recommend the City implement and execute strengthened internal controls over the federal Eligibility compliance requirement to include documentation maintenance. The City should ensure eligibility verification complies with grant requirements by using third‑party income verification when required and maintaining adequate documentation when alternative methods are used. View of Responsible Officials: See accompanying corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

The finding from the September 30, 2025 schedule of findings and questioned costs is discussed below. The finding is numbered consistently with the number assigned in the schedule. The City of Pensacola Housing Department’s direct action in response to the finding is to meet with the Housing Placement Specialists to discuss the finding, review Pensacola Housing’s Administrative Plan and 24 CFR 982.516, clarify the proper procedures for accepting self-declared income, and monitoring for ongoing compliance. Program Manager Nicole Louie will randomly select files from each Housing Placement Specialist’s caseload to complete a quality control review over the next 60 days to ensure proper income-verification procedures are followed. In addition, SEMAP (Section 8 Management Assessment Program) quality control is conducted quarterly by the Housing Office Coordinator as part of the self-scoring assessment submitted to HUD. Any non-compliance identified during the SEMAP quarterly review will be brought to the attention of the Section 8 Program Manager and the Housing Placement Specialist. Name of Contact Person for Completing Corrective Action Plan: Nicole Louie, Program Manager 850-858-0316 nlouie@cityofpensacola.com Expected date of completion is April 30, 2026 FINDING 2025-001 During the review of 40 tenant files, there were three instances a tenant file did not document why third-party income verification was not utilized. After review, the Housing Placement Specialists calculated the income correctly, and there was no resulting over subsidy. However, their notation regarding the acceptance of self-declared income was not captured electronically in the Housing Pro software. Prior to transitioning to electronic files, such notations were documented in the physical file. Moving forward, Housing Eligibility Specialists will be required to record all notes regarding self-declared income directly in the Housing Pro software.

Categories

HUD Housing Programs

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.871 SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS $21.52M
20.106 AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT PROGRAMS, AND COVID-19 AIRPORTS PROGRAMS $6.53M
12.600 COMMUNITY INVESTMENT $4.88M
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $1.60M
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $224,377
97.056 PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM $219,213
14.239 HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM $146,702
87.051 GULF COAST ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION COUNCIL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMPONENT PROGRAM $126,644
21.029 CORONAVIRUS CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND $93,800
97.039 HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT $85,345
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $44,729
66.818 BROWNFIELDS MULTIPURPOSE, ASSESSMENT, REVOLVING LOAN FUND, AND CLEANUP COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS $44,404
15.904 HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND GRANTS-IN-AID $37,280
95.001 HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS PROGRAM $21,720
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII $9,320
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $7,500
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $7,422
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $4,055
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $506