We audited rent credits that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) during fiscal years 2015 through 2018 in exchange for financial contributions for building improvements.  We initiated this audit due to concerns we identified while completing a review of HUD’s use of funds approved by Congress for building improvements.[1]  Our objective was to…

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,…

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…

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…

We audited selected controls of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s New Core Interface Solution application as part of the internal control assessments for the fiscal year 2019 financial statement audit.  Our objective was to review the controls for compliance with Federal information system security and financial management requirements. The OIG has determined that the contents of this audit report would not be appropriate…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), has completed its risk assessment of HUD’s travel cards as required by the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-194).  Our objective was to assess the risks of illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases and payments within HUD’s travel card program.  We found that a medium risk was associated with HUD’s travel…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of lead in the water of Housing Choice Voucher Program and public housing program (assisted) units based on our goal of strengthening the soundness of public and Indian housing.  The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2019 audit plan.  Our objective was to determine whether HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing had sufficient…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) oversight of lead in the water of multifamily housing units based on our goal of strengthening the soundness of multifamily housing.  The audit was part of the activities in our fiscal year 2019 audit plan.  Our objective was to determine whether HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs had sufficient policies, procedures, and controls to ensure that…

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 evaluated the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) practices for identifying and protecting personally identifiable information (PII).  The evaluation assessed HUD’s current capabilities to properly manage and protect PII and to properly maintain paper and electronic PII records.  This evaluation was conducted in conjunction with the fiscal year (FY) 2019 Federal Information Security Act of 2014 (FISMA) evaluation…

This memorandum report summarizes survey and interview results on the impact mandatory telework is having on U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) operations. The HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted surveys and interviews to evaluate HUD’s use of agency-wide telework in response to the novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study was designed to provide insights into the types of obstacles that impeded HUD…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fiscal year 2019 compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010 (IPERA).  Our audit objective was to determine whether HUD complied with IPERA reporting and improper payment reduction requirements according to guidance from Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, appendix C. Fiscal year 2019 marked the seventh consecutive year…

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) and the stand-alone financial statements of the Federal Housing Administration and the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae).  Our objective was to express an opinion on the fair presentation of HUD’s consolidated…

We are required to audit the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) annually in accordance with the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 as amended. Our objectives were to express an opinion on the fair presentation of HUD’s consolidated financial statements and report on HUD’s internal controls over financial reporting and compliance with select provisions of applicable laws,…

This report presents the results of our audit of Ginnie Mae’s fiscal year 2019 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 2019, we were unable to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to express an opinion on the fairness of Ginnie Mae’s financial statements.  Specifically, our…

The Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) has not referred troubled public housing agencies (PHAs) to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing to take them over as the law and regulations require.  Without this referral mechanism, a PHA could remain troubled for an indefinite period while conditions stagnate or deteriorate.  We identified 18 PHAs that remained troubled for more than 2 years without being referred PIH…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited HUD’s compliance with the purchase card program requirements for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 based on our risk assessment. Our audit objective was to determine whether HUD maintained accurate records of cardholders and transactions; HUD employees took purchase card training when required; and HUD purchase cards were used for illegal, improper, or…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General audited HUD’s compliance with the travel card program requirements for fiscal year 2018 based on our risk assessment.Our audit objective was to determine whether HUD travel cards were used for potentially illegal, improper, or erroneous purchases and whether travel cards were used when required. We found that out of a sample of transactions that we…

In accordance with the statutory requirements of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (DATA Act) and standards established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, we audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of the Chief Financial Officer’s (OCFO) compliance with the DATA Act for the first quarter of fiscal year 2019.  The audit was part of…

We audited the City of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department’s Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program based on our analysis of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes’ grantees in Region 5’s jurisdiction.[1]  Our audit objective was to determine whether the Department administered the Program in accordance with HUD’s requirements. The Department did…