Finding 1239413 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-30

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Downstreet failed to record a $5 million property purchase and misclassified $1.38 million in grant funding, leading to significant understatements in assets and revenue.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls for financial reporting were inadequate, resulting in omissions and inconsistencies in recording property and grant transactions.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a formal reconciliation process between development project records and financial accounts to ensure accurate and complete recording of all related transactions.

Finding Text

Criteria: The auditee is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls to ensure assets are properly recorded. Condition: Downstreet purchased a new property for approximately $5 million and did not record the asset in its general ledger. Additionally, receipts of grant funding were recorded as a reduction in construction-in-progress of approximately $1.38 million rather than an asset and related grant revenue. As a result, property, plant and equipment assets and grant revenue were understated. Context: The Organization purchased a property for development. The transactions occurring at closing were omitted. Subsequent grant-funded construction-in-progress transactions were not recorded in a consistent manner. Cause: The omission occurred because of a lack of a formal reconciliation process between development project records and the fixed asset and grant revenue balances. Effect: The failure to record this addition resulted in a material understatement of capital assets and grant revenue. This increases the risk of financial misstatement, and inaccurate financial reporting to stakeholders. Recommendation: We recommend the Organization improve internal controls over financial reporting to ensure it appropriately identifies all transactions related to property purchases and subsequent improvements to those properties. Views of responsible officials: Management concurs with the finding. The acquisition and related grant activity were not fully reflected in the general ledger because development project records were not formally reconciled to the fixed asset, construction-in-progress, and grant revenue accounts. Management agrees that a more structured review and reconciliation process is necessary to ensure property acquisitions, subsequent development costs, and related funding are recorded completely, accurately, and in the appropriate accounting period.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025-002 Finding type: Significant deficiency. Condition: Downstreet purchased a new property for approximately $5 million and did not record the asset in its general ledger. Additionally, receipts of grant funding were recorded as a reduction in construction-in-progress of approximately $1.38 million rather than an asset and related grant revenue. As a result, property, plant and equipment assets and grant revenue were understated. Management concurrence: Management concurs with this finding. Corrective action plan: Downstreet Housing & Community Development will implement a formal reconciliation and review process for property acquisitions and development activity. For each acquisition or significant development project, Finance will obtain and review the closing documents, development records, funding agreements, grant activity, and construction-in-progress detail to identify all transactions that must be recorded in the general ledger. Property acquisition costs, subsequent improvements, construction-in-progress, related liabilities, and grant revenue will be reconciled to the development project records at key project stages and as part of the year-end closing process. A supervisory finance official will review the reconciliation and supporting documentation to verify that property costs and related funding have been recorded completely, accurately, and in the appropriate accounts and accounting period. Projected completion date: December 31, 2026 Responsible official: Schuyler Anderson, CFO/COO

Categories

Procurement, Suspension & Debarment Reporting Equipment & Real Property Management Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1239404 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239405 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239406 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239407 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239408 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239409 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239410 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239411 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239412 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.251 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS $720,000
14.228 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/STATE'S PROGRAM AND NON-ENTITLEMENT GRANTS IN HAWAII $500,000
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $250,000
21.000 NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA $233,000
81.042 WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME PERSONS $32,801
14.169 HOUSING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $26,226