Finding Text
Criteria Tenant lease files are required to be maintained and tenant eligibility determined in accordance with HUD Handbook 4350.3, Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs. Condition In connection with our lease file review, we noted the following deficiencies: 4 out of 13 tenants tested did not utilize the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system. 5 out of 13 tenants tested did not complete the Form 50059 timely. 1 out of 13 tenants tested did not have the tenant and subsidy rent portions calculated correctly. Cause Management’s policies with respect to the determination of tenant security deposits and eligibility and the maintenance of tenant lease files in accordance with HUD Handbook 4350.3, Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs were not consistently followed. Effect or Potential Effect The procedures for determining tenant eligibility and maintaining tenant lease files were not consistently applied in accordance with HUD Handbook 4350.3, Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs. This could result in units being rented to ineligible tenants or errors in the rent subsidies paid by HUD. Questioned Costs None Context A sample of 13 tenant files from a population of 73 were selected. We identified exceptions in 7 out of the 13 files tested. The sample is not a statistically valid sample. Identification as a Repeat Finding Repeat finding of prior year finding 2024-002 Recommendation Management should establish procedures and monitor compliance with those procedures to ensure that tenant security deposits are correctly recorded, tenant eligibility is correctly determined and that tenant lease files are properly maintained in accordance with the requirements of HUD Handbook 4350.3, Occupancy Requirements of Subsidized Multifamily Housing Programs. Auditor Noncompliance Code: R - Section 8 program administration Finding Resolution Status: In-Process Views of Responsible Officials Management compliance is addressing the generating of EIV reports to align with verification dates (<120 days) rather than when annual recertification notices are generated/sent (at least 120 days). Delays in recertification completion have improved; a majority of the certifications reviewed were effective within first 6 months of transition while the site was still adjusting to new software and management. Additional training has been provided to emphasize the importance of timely reporting and completion. There has also been a change in site staff.