Finding 1220155 (2025-005)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-06-29
Audit: 405308
Organization: City of Hialeah, Florida (FL)
Auditor: CBIZ CPAS PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The City inaccurately reported expenditures in the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and State Financial Assistance (SEFA), missing significant amounts for several federal and state programs.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, which mandates accurate reporting of all federal and state assistance received and expended.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Provide additional training for staff on grant requirements and ensure that SEFA is reviewed and approved by knowledgeable management during the financial close process.

Finding Text

SD2025-005 – INACCURATE REPORTING OF THE SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES OF FEDERAL AWARDS AND STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FINDING ASSIGNED TO: Federal Award: ALN #14.218 – Community Development Block Grant/Entitlement Grants Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Award: ALN #14.239 – Home Investment Partnerships Program Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Award: ALN #14.231 – Emergency Solutions Grant Program Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Award: ALN #16.922 – Equitable Sharing Program Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Federal Award: ALN #95.001 – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program Federal Agency: Executive Office of the President Pass-through: Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives/Federal Bureau of Investigation State Award: CSFA #55.039 – Local Transportation Projects State Agency: Florida Department of Transportation Criteria Title 2 U.S, Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) requires that the recipient of grant awards must be able to prepare an accurate schedule of expenditures and be able to identify in its accounts all federal awards and state assistance received and expended. Condition The original Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and State Financial Assistance (“SEFA”) that the City provided erroneously omitted expenditures related to ALN#14.218 (Community Development Block Grant “CDBG”) in the amount of $2,030,601. Accordingly, these adjustments required the auditor to modify its testing procedures in accordance with the Uniform Guidance. Additionally, the original SEFA provided by the City’s staff inaccurately reported expenditures for four (4) additional federal programs as follows: $164,000 for ALN#14.239, $91,376 for ALN#14.231, $52,701 for ALN#16.922, and $53,656 for ALN#95.001. The City subsequently submitted an updated SEFA to the auditors to reflect the necessary corrections. However, this revised SEFA omitted $400,000 of expenditures of state financial assistance related to the Florida Department of Transportation project CSFA#55.039. The City ultimately provided a corrected SEFA and supporting journal entries to record all missing expenditures. Cause Lack of sufficient review controls over the preparation and review of the SEFA. Effect The SEFA was not accurately prepared and could result in incorrect reporting of expenditures to federal and state agencies. Recommendation We recommend that the staff responsible for the preparation of the SEFA and monitoring of Federal and State Awards receive additional training to possess a thorough understanding of grants and their related program requirements. Additionally, the SEFA should be reviewed and approved by management personnel identified by the City who possesses the adequate knowledge and expertise. Such review and approval should take place during the City’s financial close process. Views of Responsible Officials See accompanying Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

AUDIT RESPONSE 5: SD2025-005 – INACCURATE REPORTING OF THE SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES OF FEDERAL AWARDS AND STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE The City recognizes that the original SEFA submitted for fiscal year 2025 contained omissions and reporting inaccuracies that required subsequent revisions. Corrective Action Taken:  Researched, reconciled, and corrected SEFA data in collaboration with auditors and grant managers.  Improved departmental communication during the review. Corrective Action Planned:  Centralize grant administration and reporting.  Ensure the SEFA is reviewed and approved by the Finance Division Director prior to submission to the auditor. Responsible Party: Citywide grants administration / Finance Division Anticipated Completion Date: FY 2026 year-end close.

Categories

Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1220140 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220141 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220142 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220143 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220144 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220145 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220146 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220147 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220148 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220149 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220150 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220151 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220152 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220153 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1220154 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
16.753 CONGRESSIONALLY RECOMMENDED AWARDS $2.59M
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $1.74M
21.023 EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $1.10M
16.922 EQUITABLE SHARING PROGRAM $389,835
16.835 BODY WORN CAMERA POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION $221,382
97.067 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM $183,321
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $177,875
16.609 PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS $151,026
16.575 CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE $145,541
14.231 EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM $108,848
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $98,000
16.710 PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNITY POLICING GRANTS $89,986
84.287 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS $59,798
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $44,098
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $40,160
20.205 HIGHWAY PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION $26,950
14.239 HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM $19,160
95.001 HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS PROGRAM $8,263