HCVP Contract Administrator Horizon Management Group informed me in the fall of 2019 that they would no longer be contracting to administer any HCVP effective January 1, 2020. This included WBHA’s program, which they had administered for many years. Prior to January 1, 2020, Horizon Management Group delivered at least 2 dozen boxes of tenant files, inspection files, waiting lists, applications, etc. to WBHA’s office. I was told that these boxes contained all files, current and historic, for our HCVP. We made every effort to administer this program internally with a well-trained, full-time administrative employee who was a Certified Occupancy Specialist with many years of experience at WBHA. She was also trained in HQS Inspections. We also have a full-time Maintenance Supervisor for our properties (Meadowbrook Manor I & II) who is a certified HQS inspector who did conduct inspections for the HCVP post 01/01/2020. The WBHA administrative employee who managed our HCVP from 01/01/20 gave her 2 weeks’ notice to terminate her employment mid-April of 2020 and was gone by the end of that month. I was the only full-time administrative employee during this period. If you recall, businesses began shutting down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in March 2020. I attempted to secure an HCVP contractor and found Allegiant Property Management to be a good fit for our program. The HCVP files were given to Allegiant Property Management prior to their management of the program which commenced July 1, 2020. That said, Allegiant Property Management was not the HCVP administrator during FYE2019. Efforts to reach out to Horizon Management Group to assist in the audit were not successful.
During this same period (November of 2019) I received notice from our usual auditors Tostrud & Temp, LLC. that they would no longer be servicing our geographic area. Finding a new auditor while taking on the administration of the HCVP was a challenge. Adding the timing of our FYE, COVID-19, the unexpected loss of a long-time trusted staff member, hiring and training new staff, etc. was a very challenging situation.
Corrective Action Planned: The corrective actions include continuing to work with Baker Tilly to complete our Fiscal Audits to bring our agency up-to-date and compliant. We are continuing to work with Allegiant Property Management to service our HCVP clients. We continue our long professional relationship with the accounting firm, HAB, Inc. WBHA is fully staffed after experiencing more turnover since 2020. I am personally committed to seeing the successful conclusion of these audits and the implementation of any corrective action(s) necessary to continue WBHA’s history as a High-Performing agency. I am also committed to the transparency expected in the administration of publicly funded subsidy programs.
Name of Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Melissa Bublitz, Executive Director
Anticipated Completion Date: We continuing to work with Baker Tilly to complete our Fiscal Audits to bring our agency up-to-date and compliant. The Housing Authority changed HCVP Contract Administrators effective July 1, 2020.