We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Public and Indian Housing’s (PIH) Office of Field Operations’ (OFO) oversight of public housing agencies’ (PHA) compliance with implementing HUD’s smoke-free policy. We initiated the audit in accordance with our strategic plan and our vision to support HUD’s efforts to achieve quality and safer housing. Our objective was to determine whether OFO ensured that the…

We prepared this memorandum to provide the Office of Housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with key considerations from prior audits of the HUD Single Family Default Monitoring System (SFDMS) and the partial claim loss mitigation option.  These audits identified HUD’s lack of effective controls to ensure that lenders reported default information accurately and in a timely manner, lenders promptly filed and…

We audited selected general and application controls over the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Home Equity Reverse Mortgage Information Technology (HERMIT) system as part of the internal control assessments required for the fiscal year 2019 financial statement audit under the Chief Financial Officer’s Act of 1990.  Our objective was to review the selected controls over HERMIT for compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban…

The West Calumet Housing Complex (WCHC), located in East Chicago, IN, was a public housing development that opened in 1972 on top of a former lead smelting plant.  HUD and other agencies missed multiple opportunities to identify site contamination at WCHC.  As a result, WCHC residents continued living in unsafe conditions for decades, and inadequate oversight led to the lead poisoning of children in WCHC.  Between 2005 and 2015, a…

We conducted this limited review to determine the use of landlord incentives to increase landlord participation and retention and expand housing options for program participants outside areas of low-income or minority concentration. The majority (28 of 34) of responsive MTW PHAs used the program and funding flexibilities of the MTW program to offer landlord incentives.  These PHAs offered many types of landlord incentives as a tool to…

We audited Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County’s (NHSLA) Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2).  The audit was based on a complaint alleging questionable NSP2 financial activity, double payments to contractors, and payments to contractors for incomplete work.  Our Office of Audit received the referred complaint in late 2018.  However, because the complaint included concerns regarding activities and auditee…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, has completed its audit of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans originated in calendar year 2019.  Our audit objective was to determine whether FHA insured loans that were not eligible for insurance because they did not have the required flood insurance coverage. We found FHA insured at least 3,870 loans that closed in 2019, totaling $940…

We audited information systems controls over the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) computing environment as part of the internal control assessments for the fiscal year 2019 financial statements audit under the Chief Financial Officer’s Act of 1990. Our objective was to assess general controls over HUD’s computing environment for compliance with HUD information technology policies and Federal information system security…

Each year, in compliance with Public Law 106-531, the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), issues a report summarizing what we consider the most serious management challenges facing the Department. In turn, HUD is required to include this report in its annual agency financial report. This report represents HUD OIG’s perspective on the top management…

The Inspector General Act of 1978 requires the Inspector General to prepare semiannual reports summarizing the activities of the Office of Inspector General for the preceding six-month periods. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the Secretary and the Congress fully informed of significant findings, progress the Agency has made and recommendations for improvement.

The Inspector General Act of 1978 requires the Inspector General to prepare semiannual reports summarizing the activities of the Office of Inspector General for the preceding six-month periods. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the Secretary and the Congress fully informed of significant findings, progress the Agency has made and recommendations for improvement.

The Inspector General Act of 1978 requires the Inspector General to prepare semiannual reports summarizing the activities of the Office of Inspector General for the preceding six-month periods. The semiannual reports are intended to keep the Secretary and the Congress fully informed of significant findings, progress the Agency has made and recommendations for improvement.   Open Recommendations Office of Audit Office of…

In accordance with the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, as amended, we are required to annually audit the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Our objective was to express an opinion on the fair presentation of HUD’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the Federal Government. This report presents our…

We initiated an audit of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) refunds to determine whether HUD appropriately, effectively, and efficiently tracked, monitored, and issued FHA refunds owed to homeowners with terminated loans. During the audit field work, the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began and as a result, we developed a second, more urgent audit objective to…

The Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) directs Inspectors General to conduct an annual evaluation of the agency information security program.  FISMA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) establish information technology (IT) security guidance and standards for Federal agencies. We conducted this evaluation to assess…

We conducted this limited review to identify the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) drawdown levels for the initial round of Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) funding.  In addition, we researched information published by grantees on how they have used and will use their funds.  Our objective was to highlight the grantees’ (1) drawdown levels for…

This report presents the results of our audit of Ginnie Mae’s fiscal year 2020 financial statements, including our report on Ginnie Mae’s internal control and test of compliance with selected provisions of laws, regulations, and contracts applicable to Ginnie Mae. In fiscal year 2020, we were able to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to express an unmodified opinion on the fairness of Ginnie Mae’s financial statements. We also…

The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-576), as amended, requires the Office of Inspector General to audit the financial statements of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) annually. We audited the accompanying FHA financial statements and notes as of and for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2020 and 2019, which are comprised of the balance sheets, related statements of net cost, changes in net position, and combined…