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Identification of the Federal Programs: Assistance Listing Number: 14.239 Assistance Listing Title: Home Investment Partnerships Program Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Award Number: M24-MC060521 Federal Award Year: FY2024 – FY2032 Criteria or Specific Requirements: Federal regulations require recipients of federal housing rehabilitation and loan program funds to maintain complete, accurate, and reliable documentation demonstrating compliance with all program terms and conditions. Under 2 CFR 200.303, Internal controls, recipients must establish and maintain effective internal controls over Federal awards to ensure proper stewardship of program funds. In addition, 2 CFR 200.334, Record retention requirements, requires recipients to retain records that document compliance with Federal program requirements and make such records available for audit or review. Identified Condition: During the audit, the City was unable to provide the required supporting documentation for several sampled properties. Specifically, documentation was not available to support: • proof of current homeowner’s insurance and verification of updated property tax payments for thirteen sampled properties; • evidence of owner occupancy for the required loan term for the twelve sampled properties; • executed home loan agreements for two sampled properties; and • proof supporting the number of residential units for one sampled commercial property. Because the required documents were not available, we were unable to test compliance with program eligibility requirements. Cause: The condition occurred due to insufficient internal controls over record retention and documentation management within the housing rehabilitation and loan programs. Staff turnover and transitions in program responsibilities contributed to gaps in institutional knowledge and inconsistent maintenance of required records. Effect: The lack of complete and accessible records limits the City’s ability to demonstrate compliance with Federal requirements. These documentation gaps also indicate weaknesses in internal controls over record retention and program oversight, which may affect the reliability of program administration and future audit results. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: The City should strengthen its internal controls over record retention and documentation management to ensure all required program records are complete, accurate, and readily accessible for audit. This includes establishing clear procedures for maintaining documentation supporting property eligibility, loan terms, and compliance requirements, as well as implementing a centralized and organized record‑keeping system. The City should also provide training to staff responsible for administering the housing rehabilitation and loan programs to promote a consistent understanding of Federal documentation and retention requirements. Additionally, periodic internal reviews should be conducted to verify that required records are being properly maintained. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action Plan: Management acknowledges the auditors’ review of HUD HOME eligibility testing. We believe our current processes generally comply with HUD requirements; however, we recognize the opportunity to strengthen controls. To address the auditors’ comments, we will enhance our eligibility verification procedures, improve documentation consistency, and provide additional staff training. These corrective actions will help ensure ongoing compliance and accuracy in eligibility determinations. Personnel Responsible for Implementation: Meredith Elguira Position of Responsible Personnel: Community Development Director Expected Date of Implementation: April 30, 2026