Finding 2023-002 – Federal Award Finding
Name of Official Responsible for Corrective Action:
Earl Richardson, First AME Housing Association Interim Executive Director
Corrective Action Planned:
Explanation: We acknowledge the oversight and would like to provide context to understand better the circumstances that led to the delay. We had internal challenges when our previous management company departed, leaving us with incomplete files and late recertifications or recertifications that never started, making it next to impossible to catch up promptly. Next, staff staffing issues contributed to the delays because staff members were not properly trained. Despite these challenges, we recognize the importance of adhering to HUD regulations and are committed to taking corrective measures.
Corrective Actions Taken: We initiated immediate corrective actions to rectify the situation upon discovering the late recertifications. We have instituted the following measures to prevent the recurrence of late annual recertifications.
1. Created a recertification schedule and calendar with the annual recertification date, specific dates to notify residents that their annual recertification is due, and dates for submitting the information to CMS and to trac. The schedule and calendar are submitted to the executive director every two weeks to monitor progress, and a meeting is scheduled with staff every two weeks to review recertification issues.
2. We hired a consultant specializing in recertification to train the staff and work with staff daily to answer questions concerning our certification. This is not a one-anddone; our recertification consultant is permanently on call to answer certification issues and continuous staff training. These measures are designed to ensure timely compliance with HUD regulations and to strengthen our internal processes.