Finding 61743 (2022-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-09-28

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Authority failed to obtain and document required third-party verifications for tenant income and related factors, leading to compliance weaknesses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 24 CFR 960.259 regarding verification of family income, assets, and deductions was not met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Strengthen policies and procedures to ensure all necessary documentation is maintained for tenant eligibility and annual recertification.

Finding Text

2022-002 ? ELIGIBILITY Material Weakness/Material Noncompliance U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CFDA #: 14.850 ? Public and Indian Housing Program CRITERIA Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the PHA must obtain and document in the family file third-party verification of the following factors, or must document in the file why third-party verification was not available: (i) Reported family annual income; (ii) The value of assets; (iii) Expenses related to deductions from annual income; and (iv) Other factors that affect the determination of adjusted income or income-based rent. (24 CFR 960.259) CONDITION From our sample of 40 recertification actions in the Public Housing Program, we identified 4 instances of missing verifications or the instances where verifications obtained did not agree to amounts reported on the form 50058. CAUSE The Authority's system of third-party verifications of tenant?s income and choice of rent was not sufficient to properly administer the program. EFFECT The Authority did not implement procedures that ensured proper verification and calculation of income, expenses, and deductions are used in calculating annual income, adjusted income, and thereby rent. QUESTIONED COSTS None Identified. CONTEXT The Authority owns and operates 803 units of Public Housing. We selected a sample of 40 participant files. This was not a statistically valid sample. REPEAT FINDING Repeated from Finding 2021-004. RECOMMENDATION We recommend policies and procedures are strengthened to ensure all proper documentation and annual recertification are maintained in all tenant files to document eligibility. AUDITEE?S RESPONSE AND PLANNED CORRECTIVE ACTION See Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

2022-002 Eligibility Material Weakness/Material Non-compliance From our sample of 40 recertification actions in the Public Housing Program, we identified 8 instances of missing verifications or the instances where verifications obtained did not agree to amounts reported on the form 50058. Auditee?s Response and Planned Corrective Action: The 4 files were all from one AMP (Oval Grove) which experienced turnover of the Property Manager, Occupancy Specialist and even the Director of Public Housing during the audit period. Positions were termed for cause. The new Director of Public Housing was hired November of 2022. A new Property Manager and Occupancy Specialist were hired in June of 2023. The authority has budgeted and will be hiring a compliance person for tenant who will audit tenant files and wait list. NBHA will review and strengthen policies and procedures to ensure all proper documentation and annul recertifications are maintained in all tenant files to document edibility. Planned Implementation Date of Corrective Action: Underway in 2023, compliance person to be hired in 2024 Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Director of Public Housing, (860)225-3534

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Eligibility Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 61742 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 61744 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 638184 2022-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 638185 2022-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 638186 2022-004
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.871 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers $8.43M
14.850 Public and Indian Housing $3.97M
14.872 Public Housing Capital Fund $545,966
14.896 Family Self-Sufficiency Program $149,487
14.870 Resident Opportunity and Supportive Services - Service Coordinators $93,296