Finding 399839 (2023-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-06-03

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Ongoing tenant eligibility problems, including missing documentation and late recertifications, have worsened since previous audits.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with HUD regulations for tenant eligibility and income reexamination is not being met, risking funding and contract renewals.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement stronger management oversight and establish procedures to ensure proper documentation and timely recertification.

Finding Text

Finding 2023-001: Tenant Eligibility - Material Weakness - Material Noncompliance Repeat of prior year findings: 2021-002 and 2022-002 Assistance Listing Number: 14.181 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Award Number: Not applicable Federal Award Year: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 Pass-Through Entity: Not applicable Criteria: Section 811 of the National Affordable Housing Act provides funding for housing for persons with disabilities. To qualify as disabled, the household must consist of at least one person who is an adult (18 years or older) with a disability, two or more persons with disabilities living together, or a surviving household member under certain circumstances (42 USC 1437a(b)(3); 24 CFR section 891.505). Residents must also qualify as very low-income households to be eligible (42 USC 8013). Eligibility is only determined at move-in or at initial certification except in circumstances whereas family composition changes after initial occupancy a determination must be made as to whether the remaining member of the household will be eligible to receive assistance. Eligibility requirements are found in HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR Part 5. The Corporation is responsible for annually reexamining incomes of households occupying assisted units and make appropriate adjustments to the tenant payment and the project rental assistance payment (24 CFR section 891.410). Assistance applicants shall submit signed consent forms upon initial application and at reexamination (24 CFR section 5.230). Questioned Cost: Not determinable. Condition/Context: During our risk assessment procedures and follow-up on the prior year findings, we noted that the tenant eligibility issues that were identified in the prior years persisted and worsened. The issues affecting tenant eligibility include missing documentation to support the eligibility requirements and tenant recertification. As a result, we did not select a sample from the population for testing. Effect: Insufficient documentation of tenant eligibility and late recertifications. Similar issues over tenant recertification have caused delays in obtaining renewal of the Corporation’s PRAC contract. As a result of not renewing the PRAC contract timely there were operating cash flow deficiencies resulting in significant growth in related party balances due to the parent entity and unpaid subsidies at June 30, 2023. Cause: Lack of management oversight due to turnover. As a result, management has not been able to implement their planned corrective actions in a timely fashion. Recommendation: The Corporation should have procedures in place to ensure documentation is maintained accordance with its requirements.

Corrective Action Plan

Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Staffing turnover limited ability for portfolio property managers to effectively manage tenant files at each building location. Historically, the management and auditing of tenant files was entirely under the process flows for property management team. Going forward the Inglis Compliance department will sufficiently sample and review tenant files throughout year to assure tenant files are accurate and audit ready at any given time. Inglis Housing Corporation hired new a new property management Executive Director in August 2023. Under her leadership the team has made extensive progress updating and bringing all PRACs, tenant recertifications, and tenant files into compliance. There has been in depth training for the property management team on the usage of a newly implemented property management system. All staff have or will attend external training classes for tax credit and HUD property management functions. The property management team is working on reviewing and updating all tenant files with a goal of being in compliance for the June 30, 2024 audit.

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Subrecipient Monitoring Eligibility Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 399840 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 976281 2023-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 976282 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.181 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities-Section 811-Capital Advance $1.84M
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $270,000