Finding Text
Criteria or specific requirement: According to the HCV Administrative Plan and 24 CFR 982.516, "It is required that all adult applicants and participants sign a Release of Information form. The purpose of this form is to facilitate automated data collection and computer matching from specific sources and provides the family’s consent only for the specific purposes listed on the form. HUD and the PHA may collect information from State Wage Information Collection Agencies (SWICAs) and current and former employers of adult family members. Only HUD is authorized to collect information directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). Adult family members must sign other consent forms as needed to collect information relevant to the family’s eligibility and level of assistance."
Condition: The Authority did not have adequate internal controls designed to ensure MTW eligibility requirements were being met.
Questioned costs: None
Context: During the testing of the MTW tenant files, certain eligibility compliance deficiencies were noted in 3 out of 40 files:
(1) 3 out of 40 sampled tenant files did not have signed Release of Information consent forms documented in their file that were applicable to the eligible time frame.
Cause: The Authority failed to provide adequate monitoring and oversight to ensure compliance with MTW rules and regulations.
Effect: The Authority is not in compliance with federal regulations regarding the recertification of household circumstances within 12 months. The Authority is also not in compliance with its own administrative policy on the HCV program.
Recommendation: We recommend that the Authority review the controls in place to ensure that all required recertification documents are completed, signed, and in the tenant’s file.
Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.