This report was issued from a developing series of six reports taking an in-depth look at how six communities used the pandemic funding they received to address a wide range of needs. This report focused on White Earth Nation Reservation in Minnesota with a detailed look at ten of the 56 pandemic programs that provided funding to the community.
The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has dramatically impacted Americans and our economy. Congress has provided over $12 billion through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 and over $10 billion through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist homeowners, renters, landlords, impacted communities, and individuals.
Early in the pandemic, the HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) developed a framework of five key oversight areas to help us prioritize timely COVID-19 related work, and have since initiated and completed several audits, evaluations, investigative initiatives, and other innovative reviews in alignment with these oversight areas.
HUD OIG we will continue to conduct oversight of HUD’s management of programs intended to help those impacted by the pandemic to ensure those programs are not undermined by fraud, waste, or abuse.
Publication Views
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Marion County, Georgia
This report was issued from a developing series of six reports taking an in-depth look at how six communities used the pandemic funding they received to address a wide range of needs. This report focused on Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with a detailed look at six of the 27 pandemic programs that provided funding to the community.
HUD Grantees Need to Enhance Monitoring of ESG CARES Act Subrecipients
We audited HUD and its grantees’ monitoring of subrecipients and contractors in HUD’s Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG-CV) program to assess subrecipient monitoring in the program. ESG and ESG-CV grantees often rely on subrecipients and contractors to carry out ESG-CV-funded activities on behalf of the grantees, and are required to monitor subrecipients to
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Sheridan County, Nebraska
This report was issued from a developing series of six reports taking an in-depth look at how six communities used the pandemic funding they received to address a wide range of needs. This report focused on Sheridan County, Nebraska, with a detailed look at six of the 31 pandemic programs that provided funding to the community.
The City and County of Honolulu Should Improve Its Fraud Risk Management Practices for Its ESG CARES Act Program
We audited the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Budget and Fiscal Services’ and Department of Community Services’ (City) fraud risk management practices for its Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG CARES Act) program with the objective of assessing the maturity of the City’s fraud risk management framework that encompasses control activities to prevent, detect, and respond to f
Housing and Community Development Should Improve Its Fraud Risk Management Practices for Its ESG CARES Act Program
We audited the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) with the objective of evaluating HCD’s fraud risk management practices for its Emergency Solutions Grants Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (ESG CARES Act) program and assessing the maturity of its efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud. Fraudulent activity in the ESG CARES Act program can lead to significant financi
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
This report was issued from a developing series of six reports taking an in-depth look at how six communities used the pandemic funding they received to address a wide range of needs. This report focused on Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with a detailed look at eight of the 45 pandemic programs that provided funding to the community.
Servicers Followed the COVID-19 Foreclosure Moratorium Requirements but Could Have Better Communicated the Requirements to Borrowers
Servicers followed the COVID-19 pandemic foreclosure moratorium requirements. However, they could have better communicated the moratorium requirements to delinquent borrowers who were subject to foreclosure proceedings. This situation occurred because HUD did not require servicers to notify borrowers directly about the foreclosure moratorium and that occupancy would pause the foreclosure process. Borrowers who
A Review of Pandemic Relief Funding and How It Was Used In Six U.S. Communities Springfield, Massachusetts
This report is the first in a series of reports taking an in-depth look at how six communities used the pandemic funding they received to address a wide range of needs. The first area was focused on the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, with a detailed look at 9 of the 52 pandemic progams that provided funding to the community.
HUD’s Assistance and Grantee Challenges With the Office of Native American Programs’ COVID-19 Recovery Programs
We audited the U.S.
Tracking Pandemic Relief Funds that Went to Local Communities Reveals Persistent Data Gaps and Data Reliability Issues
The PRAC and ten of its member Offices of Inspector General (OIG) (together, the PRAC Oversight Team) undertook this case study-based review: 1. To determine how much pandemic relief funding went to six selected communities; 2. To gain more insight about how the six communities used their pandemic relief funding; and 3. To learn more about whether the funding helped the six communities respond to the pandemic
Nationstar Generally Did Not Meet HUD Requirements When Providing Loss Mitigation to Borrowers of Delinquent FHA-Insured Loans
We audited Nationstar Mortgage, LLC’s (doing business as Mr. Cooper (Nationstar)) compliance with the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) requirements for providing loss mitigation assistance to borrowers after their COVID-19 forbearance ended. We concurrently conducted a nationwide audit of servicers’ compliance with the U.S.
Servicers Generally Did Not Meet HUD Requirements When Providing Loss Mitigation Assistance to Borrowers With Delinquent FHA-Insured Loans
We performed an audit of loan servicers’ compliance with the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) requirements for providing loss mitigation assistance to borrowers after their COVID-19 forbearance ended. We initiated the audit based on the large number of borrowers exiting forbearance, because the loss mitigation programs available to these borrowers were new and created a risk for
Improvements Are Needed To Ensure That Public Housing Properties Are Inspected in a Timely Manner
We audited the U.S.
HUD Can Improve Oversight of Its Temporary Endorsement Policy for Loans in COVID-19 Forbearance
We audited the U.S.
Fraud Risk Inventory for the Tenant- and Project-Based Rental Assistance, HOME, and Operating Fund Programs’ CARES and ARP Act Funds
In coordination with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, we conducted an audit to identify potential fraud schemes that could affect HUD’s pandemic funds. We reviewed the funds appropriated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act for the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA), HOME Investment Partnersh
Community Development Block Grant CARES Act Implementation Challenges
We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act program.
Challenges Faced by Section 232 Nursing Homes During the Pandemic
We conducted a limited review of nursing home owners to identify their operational challenges and needs of nursing homes in responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our objective was to determine the biggest challenges operators of Section 232 nursing home facilities face related to the COVID-19 pandemic and whether nursing homes are prep
HUD Did Not Always Comply With Its Internal Guide When Transitioning Offices From Mandatory to Maximum Telework During the COVID-19 Pandemic
We audited the U.S.
FHA Borrowers Did Not Always Properly Receive COVID-19 Forbearances From Their Loan Servicers
The U.S.