We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to provide documentation to show that the $217,403 paid for legal, fee accounting, management consulting, and auditing services was reasonable or reimburse its Capital Fund or Operating Fund from non-Federal funds for any amount that it cannot support or that is not considered reasonable.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to provide training to its staff related to HUD and Federal procurement requirements, including the requirements for using intergovernmental agreements and preparing independent cost estimates and cost analyses.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to provide documentation to show that $187,492 in 2013 and 2014 capital fund obligations or reimburse HUD from non-Federal funds for any amount that it cannot support.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to reimburse HUD $139,423 in replacement housing factor funds not disbursed by the expenditure deadline from its replacement housing factor funds or reduce its future capital funds.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to improve its policies and procedures to ensure that capital funds, including replacement housing factor funds, are obligated and spent for eligible activities in a timely manner.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to reimburse its project from non-Federal funds for $87,116 in excessive management fees charged for units undergoing demolition.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to submit a request to the HUD field office to revise its budget so that it reflects actual expenditures for 2014 capital funds.

We recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing to require the Authority to improve its policies and procedures to ensure that its budget, financial reports, and accounting data are accurate and up to date.

We also recommend that the Director of HUD’s Newark Office of Public Housing consider reducing future capital funds as a penalty for the Authority’s obligating its 2009, 2010, and 2011 replacement housing factor funds after the deadline.

Certify, along with the owners of the 61 units cited in the finding, that the applicable housing quality standards violations have been corrected.

Reimburse its program $46,605 from non-Federal funds ($44,214 for housing assistance payments and $2,391 in associated administrative fees) for the 22 units that materially failed to meet HUD’s housing quality standards.

Develop and implement procedures and controls to monitor the inspection process to ensure that program units meet housing quality standards, thereby ensuring that an estimated $2,668,680 in program funds is spent for units that are decent, safe, and sanitary.

Recalculate the commitment requirement as a result of the City improperly committing HOME funds for activities 5455, 5456, 5058, 5059, 5173, 5174, and 4652 and determine the cumulative effect on the City’s overall commitment requirement. Any overpayments should be recaptured or reduced in the HOME Investment Trust Fund account.

Require the City to establish and implement controls and procedures to ensure compliance with requirements for commitments entered into HUD’s information system. This includes but is not limited to controls and procedures to ensure that valid commitment entries and all HOME contracts and agreements are properly executed.

Update the terms in the purchase agreement to ensure that the agreements define “extenuating circumstance” in reference to foreclosure avoidance, establish how long stabilization outcomes can continue to be reported as planned, and establish financial or other penalties to hold purchasers accountable in instances of nonreporting and noncompliance.

We recommend that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs issue guidance reminding grantees of the requirement to properly report the addresses of assisted properties in IDIS and properly calculate and report program income from the disposition of these properties.

We recommend that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs develop a process to ensure that grantees properly report the addresses of assisted properties in IDIS and properly calculate and report program income from the disposition of these properties regularly. This process could include but is not limited to developing a process to extract data reported in IDIS on activities with the matrix codes related to real property, and…

We recommend that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs instruct the Newark, NJ, field office to require Jersey City to provide documentation to show that a notice was provided to affected citizens as required or take action to advise affected citizens that they disposed of the property.

We recommend that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs instruct the Newark, NJ, field office to require Jersey City to provide documentation to support the fair market value of the property at the time of disposition. If documentation cannot be provided, the grantee should be required to reimburse $503,550 to its CDBG line of credit from non-Federal funds. If documentation can be provided, the grantee should be required to…

We recommend that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs instruct the Philadelphia, PA, field office to require Luzerne County to provide documentation to support the fair value of the property at the time of disposition. If documentation cannot be provided, the grantee should be required to reimburse $575,263 to its CDBG line of credit from non-Federal funds. If documentation can be provided, the grantee should be required to…