Finding Text
Finding 2023-005 – Special Tests and Provisions – SEMAP reporting
ALN 14.871 – Noncompliance & Significant Deficiency
Criteria: 24 CFR Part 985.3 states that PHAs “must leave a clear audit trail that can be used to verify that the PHA’s quality control sample was drawn in an unbiased manner.”
Condition & cause:
We noted during our review of the 2023 SEMAP submission and supporting documentation that the PHA did not maintain a clear audit trail to verify specific indicators. Specifically, there was no documentation to support Indicator 5 – HQS Quality Control Inspections maintained within the support. We also noted that although support was provided for indicators 2-4, it was not apparent that the review was conducted, as the spreadsheet used was not filled out. Lastly, as stated above, we noted a 13% error rate with our review of the HCV tenant files, but the Authority received a perfect score for Indicator 3 - Determination of Adjusted Income.
Effect:
The SEMAP certification provides HUD with a system to evaluate a PHA’s Section 8 performance. Failure to provide proper supporting documentation can lead to ineffective measurements of Authority performance, as well as its ability to meet the needs of eligible families. Furthermore, misleading SEMAP certifications can disguise a troubled agency who may need HUD intervention.
Recommendation: We recommend that the PHA personnel obtain the appropriate training for SEMAP documentation and certification and appropriately document the SEMAP reports in future years. We also recommend that the PHA utilize the existing computer system to adequately document SEMAP on a regular basis.