Finding 1225592 (2025-005)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-08-04
Audit: 408466
Organization: Princeton Housing Authority (NJ)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that the Project Based Rental Assistance program failed to conduct timely annual housing quality inspections, leading to non-compliance with Housing Quality Standards.
  • Impacted Requirements: The program must ensure that all rental units are inspected at initial occupancy and annually thereafter to confirm they are decent, safe, and sanitary.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: The Authority should establish and implement stronger internal control procedures to ensure compliance with inspection requirements and prevent future non-compliance.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-005 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Titles: Section 8 Project-Based Cluster - Project Based Rental Assistance Federal Assistance Listing Numbers: 14.195 Noncompliance - N. Special Tests and Provisions - Housing Quality Standards Non Compliance Material to the Financial Statements: Yes Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance for Special Tests and Provisions Criteria: Housing Quality Standards. The PHA must provide housing that is decent, safe, and sanitary. To achieve this end, the PHA must perform housing quality inspections at the time of initial occupancy and at lease annually thereafter to ensure that the units are decent, safe, and sanitary (24 CFR section 574.310(b)(1)-(2)). Condition: Based upon inspection of the Authority’s files and on discussion with management, there were units that were not inspected within the annual inspection period. Context: There are approximately one hundred eighty eight (188) Project Based Rental Assistance units. Of a sample size of twelve (12) tenant files, nine (9) annual inspections were not completed in a timely manner. Our sample size is statistically valid. Known Questioned Costs: $33,381 Cause: There is a material weakness in internal controls for the Project Based Rental Assistance program over the compliance for the special tests and provisions type of compliance related to housing quality standards. The Authority has not properly performed annual inspections in compliance with program requirements. Effect: The Project Based Rental Assistance program is in material non-compliance with the special tests and provisions type of compliance related to housing quality standards. Recommendation: We recommend the Authority design and implement internal control procedures that will reasonably assure compliance with the Uniform Guidance and the compliance supplement.

Corrective Action Plan

Authority's Response and Planned Corrective Action Plan: The Authority has recognized the material weakness in the Project Based Rental Assistance program and will implement internal control procedures that will ensure compliance with federal regulations. Tyler Martin, Executive Director, is responsible for ensuring the deficiencies have been rectified by June 30, 2026.

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Questioned Costs Special Tests & Provisions Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1225590 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1225591 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1225593 2025-006
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.195 PROJECT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE (PBRA) $696,549
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $71,600