Establish and implement a process to ensure that ONAP’s policies and procedures are effective. This process should address the identification of presidentially declared disaster areas and the requirement to contact disaster-affected housing entities. This process should also integrate with other HUD program offices as appropriate to improve consistency with HUD’s overall disaster response and to ensure the effectiveness of disaster controls.
2021-KC-0003 | July 26, 2021
HUD’s Major Program Offices Can Improve Their Preparedness To Respond to Upcoming Natural Disasters
Public and Indian Housing
- Status2021-KC-0003-004-AOpenClosed
- Status2021-KC-0003-005-AOpenClosed
Improve the Office of Public Housing’s procedures with written guidance to ensure that its staff formally tracks outreach to PHAs.
2021-FW-1002 | June 21, 2021
The City of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, Houston, TX, Did Not Always Ensure That Its Program Followed Procurement Requirements
Community Planning and Development
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-AOpenClosed$9,736,636Funds Put to Better Use
Recommendations that funds be put to better use estimate funds that could be used more efficiently. For example, recommendations that funds be put to better use could result in reductions in spending, deobligation of funds, or avoidance of unnecessary spending.
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to provide documentation, including but not limited to showing that it (1) notified and allowed a response from bidders regarding the bidding and scoring processes; and (2) awarded home repair master agreement contracts without restriction and were in line with the bid evaluation requirements, or provide a documented re-evaluation of the procurement showing that it provided the best advantage to it and HUD, thereby putting the remaining $9,736,636 award amount to better use.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-BOpenClosed$1,063,364Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A) resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B) that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost); or (C) that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to support $1,063,364 or repay its CDBG-DR program from non-Federal funds for payments made to one prequalified contractor under its home repair program without independent cost estimates and cost analyses.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-COpenClosed$170,066Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A) resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B) that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost); or (C) that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to support $170,066 or repay its CDBG-DR program from non-Federal funds for payments made to the demolition contractor under its housing buyout program without independent cost estimates and cost analyses.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-DOpenClosed$27,250Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A) resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B) that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost); or (C) that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to support $27,250 or repay its CDBG-DR program from non-Federal funds for payments made to three appraisal contractors under its housing buyout program without cost analyses.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-EOpenClosed
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to develop and implement a HUD-approved written plan and checklists that will correct and prevent the deficiencies outlined in the finding.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-FOpenClosed
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to provide training to City staff to ensure that it understands and follows procurement requirements, such as performing independent cost estimates, cost analysis, scoring, including all contract provisions, ensuring that subrecipients understand and follow procurement requirements, and maintaining appropriate procurement documentation.
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-GOpenClosed
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to Update its procurement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with disaster assistance program requirements
- Status2021-FW-1002-001-HOpenClosed
We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development require the City to ensure that monitoring includes a review of its subrecipients’ (1) policies and procedures to ensure that the policies and procedures are current and comply with HUD requirements, (2) documentation supporting cost reasonableness to ensure that the documentation is sufficient, and (3) training provided regarding procurement and other program requirements to ensure that trainings are adequate.
2021-PH-0002 | March 29, 2021
Reimbursements Received Through Rent Credits From the General Services Administration
Office of Administration
- Status2021-PH-0002-001-BOpenClosed
We recommend that HUD’s Chief Administrative Officer implement the corrective actions and internal process improvements in internal control developed as a result of the Chief Financial Officer’s investigation addressed in recommendation 1A.
- Status2021-PH-0002-001-COpenClosed
We recommend that HUD’s Chief Administrative Officer provide training to responsible staff and officials to ensure that those that may be involved with negotiating any GSA rent credits, like the credits addressed in this report, identify such potential rent credit transactions and follow the corrective actions and process improvements implemented to resolve recommendation 1B.
Chief Financial Officer
- Status2021-PH-0002-001-AOpenClosed
We recommend that HUD’s Chief Financial Officer investigate the facts surrounding the potential Antideficiency Act violation involving the $7,787,675 in rent credits and make a formal determination. If it is determined that a violation occurred, the Chief Financial Officer should develop corrective action plans or internal process improvements as necessary, take disciplinary actions as appropriate, and report the identified violations to the oversight authorities including the HUD Secretary, the President, OMB, Congress and the Comptroller General.
2021-DP-0002 | March 02, 2021
Necessary System Interfaces Between HERMIT And The National Servicing Center Were Not In Place
Housing
- Status2021-DP-0002-001-AOpenClosedSensitiveSensitive
Sensitive information refers to information that could have a damaging import if released to the public and, therefore, must be restricted from public disclosure.
The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.
- Status2021-DP-0002-001-BOpenClosedSensitiveSensitive
Sensitive information refers to information that could have a damaging import if released to the public and, therefore, must be restricted from public disclosure.
The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.
- Status2021-DP-0002-001-COpenClosedSensitiveSensitive
Sensitive information refers to information that could have a damaging import if released to the public and, therefore, must be restricted from public disclosure.
The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.
2021-LA-1002 | January 05, 2021
Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, Did Not Always Follow Program Requirements in Administering Its NSP2
Community Planning and Development
- Status2021-LA-1002-001-EOpenClosed
Develop and implement sufficient financial procedures and controls to ensure that program income is appropriately recorded and properly transferred to its NSP2 account.
- Status2021-LA-1002-001-FOpenClosed
Ensure it has sufficient staffing and capacity to administer the NSP2 program, including obtaining training for its staff to understand HUD requirements and how to use the DRGR system.
- Status2021-LA-1002-002-COpenClosed
Develop and implement a HUD-approved cost allocation plan to properly account for indirect program costs.
- Status2021-LA-1002-002-DOpenClosed
Establish written payroll policies and procedures in accordance with program requirements for the tracking, recording, and maintenance of direct costs to ensure that time distribution records are in place to support the allocation of charges.