Finding 1221438 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-06-30

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Authority failed to complete required annual reexaminations of tenant income and composition on time, leading to noncompliance with HUD regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 24 CFR 982.516, which mandates timely reexaminations and accurate documentation for housing assistance eligibility.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance tracking tools, address the backlog of reexaminations, and ensure ongoing supervisory reviews to maintain compliance and prevent future delays.

Finding Text

Finding Reference: 2025-001 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Title: Housing Voucher Cluster Assistance Listing Number: 14.871 and 14.879 Federal Grant Number: Not Applicable Category of Finding: Eligibility Classification of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Instance of Noncompliance Criteria Pursuant to 24 CFR 982.516, the Authority must reexamine family income and composition at least once every 12 months and adjust the tenant rent and housing assistance payments as necessary using the documentation from third party verification. As a condition of admission to or continued assistance, the Authority shall require the tenant and other family members to provide necessary information, documentation, and execute a HUD-approved release and consent form authorizing the Authority to verify income eligibility. For both family and income examinations and reanimations, the Authority must obtain and document in the tenant file third party verification of (1) reported family annual income; (2) the value of assets; (3) expenses related to deductions from annual income; and (4) other factors that affect the determination of adjusted income or income-based rent. 24 CFR 982.516 also requires the Authority to establish procedures that are appropriate and necessary to assure that income data provided by application or participant families is complete and accurate. Condition From a total population of 17,852 tenants under the Housing Choice Voucher cluster for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, we selected a statistically valid sample of one monthly subsidy payment within the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, for each of 60 selected tenants. For four of the tenants examined, the reexaminations were not completed within the required time frame. Cause of Condition The Authority has been working through a backlog of delinquent reexaminations due to challenges with past service providers not meeting contractual commitments to timely perform the reexaminations on behalf of the Authority. The Authority has since changed service providers and is in process of completing the delinquent reexaminations. Effect The Authority is not in compliance with HUD requirements regarding annual re-examination of family income and composition, which may result in inaccurate assistance provided to participants. Questioned Costs The Authority was able to provide documentation demonstrating that reexaminations were completed subsequent to the tested subsidy payments. Therefore, there were no questioned costs identified in connection with the tenants examined. Identification of Repeat Finding This is a repeat of finding 2024-002 reported for the year ended September 30, 2024 Recommendation The Authority should continue utilizing its enhanced tracking tools and updated procedures to monitor the completion of annual tenant reexaminations and supporting documentation. Management should continue working through the existing backlog of overdue reexaminations, reinforce staff accountability for timely completion and filing of required documents, and maintain ongoing supervisory review to ensure compliance with HUD requirements. Additionally, the Authority should periodically evaluate the effectiveness of its tracking processes and make further refinements, as necessary, to promote timely completion of reexaminations, reduce processing delays, and prevent future backlogs. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action See separately prepared Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Reference Number: 2025-001 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Title: Housing Choice Cluster Federal Catalog Number: 14.871 and 14.879 Federal Grant Number: Not Applicable Category of Finding: Eligibility Classification of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Instance of Noncompliance Authority’s Response & Actions Taken The Authority has taken substantial and measurable steps to address the prior backlog of annual reexaminations, including stabilizing third-party administration and implementing earlier and more structured reexamination processes. As a result of these efforts, all reexaminations identified during the audit period were ultimately completed, and all households were confirmed eligible with accurate housing assistance payments prior to the end of FY2025. The Authority’s current procedures—such as initiating reexaminations 150 days in advance, conducting weekly monitoring, and coordinating closely with property management and service providers—have significantly improved overall performance and strengthened operational consistency. The remaining instances of untimely reexaminations reflected in the audit are largely attributable to tenant non-responsiveness and timing factors associated with the audit sample period, during which a portion of cases were still in process despite being actively worked on and subsequently completed. These results do not fully reflect the progress achieved or the Authority’s current operational status. The Authority maintains a tenant-centered approach to program administration, ensuring that eligible households are not unnecessarily terminated due to documentation delays (this is especially important with the Authority being in shortfall which does not allow for voucher reinstatements). This approach is supported by structured outreach, enforcement protocols, and documented follow-up actions. The Authority continues to work diligently with its third-party HCV contractors, city department partners, onsite service providers and property management companies to ensure timely recertification of all assisted households. At the same time, the Authority has strengthened internal controls to better align tenant flexibility with HUD timeliness requirements. The Authority continues to enhance oversight, tracking, and contractor accountability to ensure sustained compliance with HUD standards. The enhanced oversight and monitoring resulted in SEMAP fiscal year end 9/30/2025 with High Performer status, and current performance trends show the Authority is well positioned to maintain SEMAP High Performer status for the current fiscal year. Specifically for SEMAP Indicator 9 for Annual Reexamination, the Authority achieved 5 out of 10 points for fiscal year end 9/30/2025, which was an improvement from the prior fiscal year of 0 out of 10 points, and currently trending in a positive direction to achieve 10 out of 10 points for FY2026. The corrective actions outlined below are designed to ensure that tenant-related delays are minimized, documented, and managed in a way that prevents the recurrence of this material weakness. To address this finding and in accordance with the Authority’s Administrative Plan and HUD rules and regulations, the Authority has already implemented the following actions starting fiscal year 2023-24: For the Project-Based program: Two project-based households were cited for late re-exams in relation to finding 2025-001. Prior to this year’s audit, those households were identified and brought into compliance prior to the end of FY2025. In addition to the actions taken in last year’s corrective action plan for finding 2024-002, the Project-Based Voucher Program has begun: 􀁸 Scheduling second notice in-person appointments for households who do not return the Annual Re-examination package in the required timeframe from the first mailing. 􀁸 Maintaining a live shared log of delinquent Annual Re-examinations which the property managers have access to. 􀁸 Including resident services and property management in the intent to terminate process to emphasize the importance of compliance and provide direct support to the resident. 􀁸 Streamlining Annual Re-examinations for senior and/or disabled households with fixed incomes through the triennial process. 􀁸 Scheduling and completing on-site visits for senior-disabled sites and non-restricted sites with large numbers of families out of compliance. 􀁸 Continuing to review discrepancies between the Authority’s System of Record and PIH Information Center, the official database of HUD. For the Tenant-Based Program: Two tenant-based households were cited for late re-exams in relation to finding 2025-001. Prior to the end of FY2025, each household was brought into compliance and had their annual reexaminations completed. In addition to the actions taken in last year’s corrective actions plan for finding 2024-002, the Tenant-Based Program has begun: 􀁸 Updating the administrative plan to allow for verification of documents to be dated with 120- days of submittal instead of 60-days which allows more flexibility and less likelihood of needing additional items from the client. 􀁸 Tracking annual reexaminations for each assigning housing specialist the moment packets are mailed and throughout the process, both through individual tracking sheets and the Authority's Customer Relations Management system. Housing Authority 2025 Corrective Action Plan Page 4 of 6 􀁸 Tracking late re-exams on the management level on a monthly basis and following up with the individual housing specialists. 􀁸 Utilizing case managers for special programs to assist with outreach and completion of the paperwork. 􀁸 Reviewing previous annual reexamination and HUD’s supplemental 92006 form to determine if the household has identified an individual to contact for assistance with the annual reexam and contacting them. 􀁸 Continuing to review discrepancies between the Authority’s System of Record and PIH Information Center, the official database of HUD. Anticipated Implementation Date September 30, 2026 Name(s) and Title(s) of Contact Person(s) Responsible for Correction Action HCV Contractors Kendra Crawford, Director of Housing Operations

Categories

HUD Housing Programs

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1221436 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1221437 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1221439 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1221440 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1221441 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.871 SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS $36.75M
14.879 MAINSTREAM VOUCHERS $7.85M
14.850 PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND $5.64M
14.872 PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND $4.20M
14.856 LOWER INCOME HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SECTION 8 MODERATE REHABILITATION $870,706