Finding Text
2022-001 Unit Inspections Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Passed through MA DHCD) Federal Programs: 14.881 Moving to Work Demonstration Program 14.871 Housing Choice Voucher Program (Housing Voucher Cluster) Condition: Four unit inspections for the Moving to Work Demonstration Program (MTW) and seven unit inspections for the Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) were not completed in a timely manner and owner self-certifications were not obtained. Criteria: The MTW and HCV programs require periodic unit inspections in order to determine the unit meets certain housing quality standards per 24 CFR sections 982.401 through 982.405. The unit inspections ensure that housing quality standards are met and require that the owner is notified of defects shown by the inspection, if any, and they are corrected in a timely manner. Due to the ongoing pandemic, HUD and DHCD issued a waiver allowing an organization to obtain a self-certification from the owner in lieu of conducting an in person inspection. This was effective from April 2020 through December 2021. Cause: Unit inspections were not able to be completed during the global pandemic, which resulted in a backlog of inspections that needed to be completed once restrictions and federal waivers were lifted and the Organization did not obtain self-certifications from the owners. Effect: Unit inspections were not completed in accordance with housing quality standards. Context: A sample of twenty-five tenants were selected for each program to determine if unit inspections were completed timely out of a population of approximately 6,700 and 250 tenants for MTW and HCV, respectively. Our tests found that four unit inspections for MTW and seven unit inspections for HCV were not completed in a timely manner and owner certifications were not obtained. Our sample was not a statistically valid sample. Questioned Costs: None Recommendation: We recommend that monitoring of established quality control procedures be enhanced and additional internal control procedures be implemented to ensure inspections are completed in accordance with program requirements. Management Response: Management agrees with the finding. See management?s attached corrective action plan.