Federal Reports

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Healthcare Facility Inspection program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the care provided at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System in Reno. 

This evaluation focused on five key content domains:
     •    Culture
     •    Environment of care
     •    Patient safety
     •    Integrated veteran care
     •    Veteran-centered safety net

The OIG issued two recommendations for VA to correct identified deficiencies in two domains:
   1.    Environment of care
     •    Medical equipment storage
   2.    Patient safety
     •    Service-level workflows for test result communication

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Single Family Housing’s efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing.  Our audit objective was to determine whether HUD met its intended outcome to increase the supply of affordable housing to owner-occupants, governmental entities, and HUD-approved non-profits by expanding the exclusive listing periods for its Real Estate Owned (REO) properties and Claims Without Conveyance of Title (CWCOT) program.

HUD’s efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing to owner-occupants, HUD-approved non-profits, and government entities by expanding the exclusive listing periods in its REO and CWCOT properties had a minimal impact on the supply of affordable housing.  To help increase the supply of affordable housing, HUD expanded the exclusive listing period for the Real Estate Owned (REO) program from 15 days to 30 days and created an exclusive listing period of 30 days for the sale of CWCOT post-foreclosure properties.  Based on preliminary HUD sales data between January 2020 and April 2024, the REO program’s policy expansion of the exclusive listing period from 15 to 30 days (Mortgagee Letter 2022-01) resulted in at least a 14 percent increase in the proportion of exclusive listing owner-occupants to total sales.  Before issuing Mortgagee Letter 2022-08, which created the exclusive listing period for the CWCOT program, HUD did not have an exclusive listing period for the CWCOT program.  Therefore, HUD had no data to compare the possible effects of the exclusive listing period.  However, based on our review and analysis, 115 investors were able to purchase homes during the restricted exclusive listing period, contrary to the guidance in mortgagee letter.  

HUD performed an analysis of REO sales during fiscal years 2023 and 2024 which found its efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing had mixed results.  HUD determined that the increased exclusive listing periods had a limited impact on REO and CWCOT sales.  As a result, HUD rescinded the mortgagee letters that expanded the exclusive listing periods for both programs.  Because of these changes, we were unable to fully address the audit objective.  The memorandum contains no recommendations.

An Amtrak assignment clerk based in Chicago, Illinois, was terminated from employment on February 11, 2026, following an administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policy by failing to report his conviction for the fraudulent receipt of pandemic related funds. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

Background

The U.S. Postal Service needs effective and productive operations to fulfill its mission of providing prompt, reliable, and affordable mail service to the American public. It has a vast transportation network that moves mail and equipment among approximately 308 processing facilities and 31,100 post offices, stations, and branches. The Postal Service is transforming its processing and logistics networks to become more scalable, reliable, visible, efficient, automated, and digitally integrated. This includes modernizing operating plans and aligning the workforce to meet marketplace needs; leveraging emerging technologies to provide world-class visibility and tracking of mail and packages in near real time; and optimizing the surface and air transportation network. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General reviews the efficiency of mail processing operations at facilities across the country and provides management with timely feedback to further the Postal Service’s mission. 

This report presents the results of our self-initiated audit of the efficiency of operations at the Westchester Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) in White Plains, NY. We judgmentally selected the Westchester P&DC in White Plains, NY, based on delivery unit performance scores at the district level. After selecting the delivery and retail district, we reviewed several performance indicators for the Westchester P&DC during fiscal years 2025-2026, including Leg 1 and Leg 3 failures;1 mail clearance times; workhours, mail volume, and productivity; scanning compliance; scanner accountability; and late, canceled, and extra trips. The Westchester P&DC is in the New England Division and processes letters, flats, and packages. The Westchester P&DC services multiple 3-digit ZIP Codes in urban and rural communities.