Finding 1227613 (2025-004)

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

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Authority failed to verify tenant income for reexaminations, lacking necessary documentation for 3 out of 40 tenants.
  • Impacted Requirements: This finding indicates a significant deficiency in meeting eligibility compliance requirements set by HUD.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Implement a process for obtaining and maintaining third-party income verification documentation for all tenant files.

Finding Text

Finding: 2025-004 Program Name: Public Housing Operating Fund (14.850) Federal Awarding Authority: Department of Housing and Urban Development Compliance Requirement: Eligibility Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency; Nonmaterial Noncompliance Criteria: For both family income examinations and reexaminations, the Authority must obtain and document in the file, third-party verification of reported family annual income Condition: The Authority was unable to provide documentation to show income had been verified during reexamination for 3 tenants out of a sample of 40 tenants. Cause: The Authority did not have appropriate controls in place to ensure and document that tenant income was verified for reexaminations. Effect: The Authority was not in compliance with eligibility compliance requirements for the year ended December 31, 2025. Auditor Recommendation: The Authority should implement a process to ensure third party documentation is obtained and maintained in the tenant file to support income reexamination. Questioned Costs: None. Management’s Response: Staff will attend annual file compliance training and upcoming rent calculation training to reinforce documentation requirements and ensure accurate income determinations going forward. We have also updated our file checklists, staff are reviewing all tenant files and we have an internal file review process, as noted in Finding 2025-002, to help ensure staff obtain and maintain all required third-party documentation for income reexaminations.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding Reference: 2025-004 Description of Finding: The Authority was unable to provide documentation to show income had been verified during reexamination for 3 tenants out of a sample of 40 tenants. Statement of Concurrence or Nonconcurrence: The Authority agrees with the finding. Corrective Action: Staff will attend annual file compliance training and upcoming rent calculation training to reinforce documentation requirements and ensure accurate income determinations going forward. We have also updated our file checklists, staff are reviewing all tenant files and we have an internal file review process, as noted in Finding 2025-002, to help ensure staff obtain and maintain all required third-party documentation for income reexaminations Name of Contact Person: Curtis Lokey, Director of Finance, 423-752-4893, clokey@chahousing.org

Categories

Eligibility HUD Housing Programs Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1227610 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227611 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1227612 2025-003
    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