Finding 554629 (2024-001)

Award Period: April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024 Compliance Requirement Affected: Eligibility Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria or specific requirement: According to §200.303 Internal Controls of 2 CFR Part 200, the non‐Federal entity must establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non‐Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. Condition: Income thresholds, on HUD-50059 tenant recertification forms, were not properly updated to the applicable period, using available income limits published by HUD for the County of Santa Cruz. Questioned costs: None noted. Context: A nonstatistical sample of 12 out of 100 tenant files were selected for testing for the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program. The discrepancy, in the maximum income limit, was identified during the auditor's testing of tenant eligibility to participate in the affordable housing program. Cause: Management oversight on properly updating the income limit thresholds. Effect: Noncompliance results in possible exclusion of eligible applicants as the income limits increased from the income limits used.