Finding 1227612 (2025-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-08-24
Audit: 409622
Organization: Chattanooga Housing Authority (TN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Authority failed to apply contract rent adjustments in 4 out of 40 cases, leading to underpayment of rent by tenants.
  • Impacted Requirements: This finding indicates noncompliance with the requirement to apply annual adjustments to contract rents.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a verification process for contract rent adjustments and provide annual training to staff to ensure compliance and accuracy.

Finding Text

Finding: 2025-003 Program Name: Section 8 Project Based Cluster (14.195-CL) Federal Awarding Authority: Department of Housing and Urban Development Compliance Requirement: Special Tests - Contract Rent Adjustments Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency; Nonmaterial Noncompliance Criteria: The Authority must apply or ensure annual adjustments to contract rents are applied. Condition: Contract rent adjustments were not applied to the calculation of rent in 4 instances out of a sample of 40 calculations. Each tenant’s income used to calculate rent in the Form 50059 was less than the income per the documentation in the file, resulting in underpayment of rent by the tenant. Cause: The Authority did not have appropriate controls in place over contract rent adjustments to ensure the adjustments are applied to the calculation of rent. Effect: The Authority was not in compliance with the contract rent adjustments compliance requirements for the year ended December 31, 2025. Auditor Recommendation: The Authority should implement a process to verify contract rent adjustments are appropriately applied and supported by the file documentation. Questioned Costs: None. Management’s Response: Due to staffing challenges, some contract rent adjustments were implemented later than they should have been. We have since implemented a process to ensure contract rent adjustments are reviewed and applied timely. This process includes internal review procedures, and staff will receive annual training to reinforce contract rent requirements and help ensure adjustments are processed accurately and on time going forward.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding Reference: 2025-003 Description of Finding: Contract rent adjustments were not applied to the calculation of rent for 4 tenants out of a sample of 40. Statement of Concurrence or Nonconcurrence: The Authority agrees with the finding. Corrective Action: Due to staffing challenges, some contract rent adjustments were implemented later than they should have been. We have since implemented a process to ensure contract rent adjustments are reviewed and applied timely. This process includes internal review procedures, and staff will receive annual training to reinforce contract rent requirements and help ensure adjustments are processed accurately and on time going forward.

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Significant Deficiency Special Tests & Provisions

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1227610 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227611 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227613 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.850 PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING $9.06M
14.889 CHOICE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS $5.08M
14.872 PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND $3.62M
14.195 SECTION 8 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS PROGRAM $3.38M
14.251 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS $1.56M
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $1.22M
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $289,012
14.871 SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS $281,358
14.879 MAINSTREAM VOUCHERS $237,954
14.870 RESIDENT OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES - SERVICE COORDINATORS $142,210
14.896 FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM $83,610