Criteria: The PHA must inspect the unit leased to a family at least bi-annually to determine if the
unit meets Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and the PHA must conduct quality control reinspections.
The PHA must prepare a unit inspection report (24 CFR §§982.405, 983.103)).
Additionally, for units under HAP contract that fail to meet HQS, the PHA must require the owner
to correct any life threatening HQS deficiencies within 24 hours after the inspections and all other
HQS deficiencies within 30 calendar days or within a specified PHA‐approved extension. If the
owner does not correct the cited HQS deficiencies within the specified correction period, the PHA
must stop (abate) HAPs beginning no later than the first of the month following the specified
correction period or must terminate the HAP contract. The owner is not responsible for a breach
of HQS as a result of the family’s failure to pay for utilities for which the family is responsible
under the lease or for tenant damage. For family‐caused defects, if the family does not correct the
cited HQS deficiencies within the specified correction period, the PHA must take prompt and
vigorous action to enforce the family obligations (24 CFR sections 982.158(d) and 982.404).
Condition: During our audit, we identified four (4) failed HQS that did not receive a pass for
several months and no rent abetment process was started or enforced during that time period.
Context: The HQS population was 135 failed inspection. We selected a sample of 29 inspection
and identified of those 29 reviewed 4 did not obtain a re-inspection pass within the Criteria noted
above and no rent abetment process was enforce on landlord.
Cause: The Authority staff did not want to jeopardize the tenants lease by enforcing the rent
abatements and rather worked with the landlord over an extend period to resolve the failed
inspection issues.
Effect: The Authority is non‐compliant with the federal regulations over this federal program, this
could potentially result in operating and financial penalties.
Recommendations:
The Authority will partner with nonprofit and other county agencies to ensure, in cases where
landlords have failed inspections, any negative impact to tenants will be minimized. The
Authority will enforce their policies related to inspections with respect to all landlords and
tenants.
Sincerely yours,
Kira Kessler
Finance Director