Finding 499734 (2023-001)

2023-001 Federal Program: Emergency Rental Assistance ALN: 21.023 Compliance Requirement: Eligibility Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Criteria or Specific Requirement: As part of the Organization’s process for approving applications for rental assistance, the Organization reviews the Customer State Application and approves the application by signing the form. Condition: There were two instances identified in which the Customer State Application was not signed by an individual at the Organization. Cause: The Organization was tasked with administering Emergency Rental Assistance funds to assist eligible individuals with rental and utility payments. With the amount of funding received, a large volume of applications needed to be reviewed by Organization personnel and, if eligible, approved for funding. Due to the number of applications, physical signatures from Organization personnel to denote the application approval may have been overlooked. Effect: Applications that were approved for funding assistance may not have received appropriate review from Organization personnel, potentially resulting in ineligible applicants receiving funding. Questioned costs: None Context: Of the 40 selections tested for eligibility, two of them had Customer State Applications that did not have a signature of an individual at the Organization. While these applications may have been appropriately reviewed, there was no physical signature to denote that review. Recommendation: The Organization should review its procedures to ensure applications are appropriately reviewed and, if applicable, approved. Views of responsible officials: See Corrective Action Plan