Finding Text
2022-004 Special Tests and Provisions – Selection from the Waiting List
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers Program – CFDA Number 14.871
Mainstream Vouchers – CFDA Number 14.879
Material Weakness in Internal Control and Material Noncompliance
Condition: 13 out of 123 new admissions were tested. Exceptions were noted as follows:
• 3 tenant file errors where the HAP contract was not signed by the Authority until after 120 days of the tenant’s move-in date, but was signed by the landlord within 120 days of the tenant’s move-in date (adoption of HUD COVID waiver).
• 1 tenant file error where the tenant’s application date, time, and preference did not agree to the date, time, and preference recorded on the waiting list. The tenant should have been housed earlier based on the tenant’s application date, time, and preference.
• 1 tenant file had the following errors:
o The HAP was not signed by the Authority until after 120 days of the tenant’s move-in date, but was signed by the landlord within 120 days of the tenant’s move-in date (adoption of HUD COVID waiver).
o The tenant’s application date and time did not agree to the date, time, on the waiting list. The tenant should have been housed earlier based on their application date, time, and preference.
• A separate waiting list was maintained for tenant based mainstream vouchers in the same county or municipality covered by the regular Section 8 waiting list (the mainstream waiting list has currently been exhausted). The Authority’s administrative plan does not allow a separate waiting list for the mainstream vouchers. In addition, the separate tenant based mainstream voucher waiting list was ranked randomly by the Authority’s system through a lottery ranking technique. This is not in compliance with the Authority’s administrative plan, which states that the waiting list should be organized by preference point and then by date and time of application (first come first serve basis).
Criteria: The Authority must have written policies in its HCVP administrative plan for selecting applicants from the waiting list, and the Authority must show that the Authority has followed these policies when selecting applicants for admission from the waiting list. Also, according to 24 CFR 982.204(f), the Authority must use a single waiting list for admission to its Section 8 tenant-based assistance program.
Questioned Costs: None.
Effect: The Authority is not properly selecting applicants from the waiting list, and as a result, many applicants were not admitted to the Section 8 program on a first come first serve basis.
Cause: Established procedures to ensure compliance with HUD requirements were not being followed. Procedures were not being followed due to employee turnover and other barriers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recommendation: The Authority should correct the deficiencies and ensure staff is aware of acceptable procedures as outlined in the Authority’s Administrative plan. In addition, the Authority should review staffing levels, skill sets and case load. Furthermore, the Authority should utilize an ongoing quality control review process to ensure proper procedures are being followed.
Views of Responsible Officials of the Auditee: The Authority concurs with this finding and will implement review procedures and provide ongoing training to staff.