Finding Text
2024 – 008 - Eligibility Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Name: Public Housing Operating Fund Assistance Listing Number: 14.850 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: FL007, 2024 Award Period: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance • Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Most PHAs devise their own application forms that are filled out by the PHA staff during an interview with the tenant. The head of household signs (a) a certification that the information provided to the PHA is correct; (b) one or more release forms to allow the PHA to get information from third parties; (c) a federally prescribed general release form for employment information; and (d) a privacy notice. Under some circumstances, other members of the family may be required to sign these forms (24 CFR sections 5.212, 5.230, and 5.601 through 5.615). The PHA must do the following: (1) As a condition of admission or continued occupancy, require the tenant and other family members to provide necessary information, documentation, and releases for the PHA to verify income eligibility (24 CFR sections 5.230, 5.609, and 960.259). (2) For both family income examinations and reexaminations, obtain and document in the family file third party verification of (a) reported family annual income, (b) the value of assets, (c) expenses related to deductions from annual income, and (d) other factors that affect the determination of adjusted income or income-based rent (24 CFR section 960.259). (3) Determine income eligibility and calculate the tenant’s rent payment using the documentation from third party verification in accordance with 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart F (24 CFR sections 5.601 et seq., and 24 CFR sections 960.253, 960.255, and 960.259). (4) Reexamine family income and composition at least once every 12 months and adjust the tenant rent and housing assistance payment as necessary using the documentation from third party verification (24 CFR sections 960.253, 960.257, and 960.259). Condition: During the testing of the Public Housing Program tenant files, a compliance deficiency was noted. Of the 30 tenant files provided, auditor noted the following items: • 1 instance where the income reported in the HUD-50058 was not supported • 2 instances where the rent change form (IC) was missing from the file Questioned costs: N/A 2024 – 008 - Eligibility Context: Out of 30 PH tenant files, 2 tenant files contained errors as noted above. Cause: The Authority failed to provide adequate monitoring and oversight to ensure compliance with HUD rules and regulations, as well as their ACOP. Effect: The Authority is not in compliance with federal regulations regarding the verification of the tenants' income and maintaining adequate documents per the compliance requirements. Repeat Finding: Yes Recommendation: We recommend management should designate one person to review a sample of the files that have been recertified each month, to determine if the tenant files were prepared in accordance with internal policies and until the compliance deficiencies have been corrected Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.