HUD OIG is conducting an audit of the New York City Housing Authority's fraud risk management practices. Fraud risk management (FRM) helps ensure program integrity by continuously and strategically mitigating both the likelihood and effects of fraud.  The objective of our audit is to assess the non-federal entity’s fraud risk management practices including control activities to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud while...

We reviewed Seneca Mortgage’s servicing of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgages and its implementation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Loss Mitigation program.  We selected Seneca Mortgage based on the results of our single-family risk assessment.  The objective of the audit was to determine whether Seneca Mortgage complied with HUD’s Loss Mitigation program requirements and...

We audited Folts, Inc.’s management of the Folts Adult Home and Folts Home projects to address our concern with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-assisted health care facilities.  We selected this auditee as the result of a risk assessment of nursing homes located in New York State, which considered HUD’s risk indicators and factors such as loan default; internal control issues; and financial statements not...

We audited Morris Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center based on a risk assessment we performed on nursing homes located in New York and New Jersey.  Morris Park has a Section 232 HUD-insured loan in the amount of $7.4 million.  The objective of the audit was to determine whether Morris Park officials managed funds in compliance with the regulatory agreement and applicable HUD requirements. Morris Park officials generally...

We completed a review of First Niagara Bank’s servicing of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured mortgages and its implementation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Loss Mitigation program.  We selected First Niagara Bank based on an Office of Inspector General risk assessment of single-family lenders.  The objective of the audit was to determine whether First Niagara Bank properly...

We completed an audit of All American Home Mortgage Corp., a nonsupervised lender located in Brooklyn, NY. Our audit objectives were to determine whether All American officials (1) approved Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-FHA, and (2) implemented a quality control plan in accordance with HUD-FHA requirements. All...

We completed an audit of Ameritrust Mortgage Bankers, Inc., a nonsupervised lender* located in Lake Success. Our audit objectives were to determine whether Ameritrust officials (1) approved FHA-insured loans in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-FHA, and (2) implemented a quality control plan in accordance with HUD-FHA requirements. Ameritrust officials did not always...

We audited Westbeth Artists Houses (auditee) in response to a complaint submitted to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) hotline alleging that project funds were used to pay an executive director in violation of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. Our audit objectives were to assess the merits of the complaint and determine whether project operations generally complied with HUD regulations pertaining...

We conducted a review of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans underwritten by Sterling National Mortgage Company, Inc. (Sterling), an FHA direct endorsement lender. The review was conducted as part of the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Operation Watchdog initiative to review the underwriting of 15 direct endorsement lenders at the suggestion of the FHA Commissioner. The Commissioner expressed concern regarding the...

We audited Somerset Investors Corporation (Somerset), dba Somerset Mortgage Bankers, a Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-approved direct endorsement lender located in Melville, NY. The audit objectives were to determine whether Somerset (1) originated FHA-insured refinanced loans in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/FHA and (2) conducted quality control reviews that...

We audited the SFDS Development Corporation (agent), management agent for three U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidized Section 202 elderly housing direct loan properties, in response to a complaint to the Office ofInspector General (OlG) Hotline that alleged misappropriation of HUD funds by the agent. The objective of our review was to assess the merits of the complaint. It was expanded to assess the agent...

We audited the management agent operations of the South Bronx Community Management Co., Inc. (agent), as they relate to the administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-Section 202 direct loan for elderly and handicapped housing project Maria Isabel at the request of the HUD New York City Office of Multifamily Housing. The audit disclosed that the agent generally complied with HUD financial and unit...

We completed an audit of the City of Rochester's (City) asset control area (ACA) program as part of a nationwide audit of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) monitoring of ACA participants. The objective of the audit was to determine whether the City administered its ACA program in compliance with program requirements to increase homeownership for low and moderate income borrowers and contribute to...

We completed an audit of Wells Fargo Bank NA, Rochester, New York, Branch Office (Wells Fargo), a national bank and supervised lender. The audit objectives were to determine whether Wells Fargo (1) approved insured loans in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/Federal Housing Administration (FHA) requirements, which include following prudent lending practices, and (2) developed and implemented a...

We completed an audit of Richard A. Hutchens and Associates (agent) pertaining to its management of the financial operations of Cayuga Village and Touraine Apartments. The objectives of our audit were to determine whether the agent used project funds in accordance with the regulatory agreement and HUD requirements. Specifically, to determine whether the agent (1) provided adequate documentation to support the reasonableness of payments...