Open Recommendations

The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.

Use the fraud risk inventory to enhance program-specific fraud risk assessments for the TBRA and Operating Fund programs.

Use the fraud risk inventory to enhance program-specific fraud risk assessments for the HOME program.

Provide adequate documentation to support that the $2,588,362 in CDBG-DR funds for three unsupported project and program management services expenditures cited in this report was spent for supported, necessary, and reasonable costs. Any amount for which adequate support cannot be provided should be repaid from non-Federal funds.

We recommend that the Director of HUD's Newark Office of Public Housing make a determination regarding outstanding agreement income, including whether those unspent funds should be returned to the public housing agencies, thereby putting up to $697,912 to better use, including $478,165 related to Asbury Park and $219,747 related to Red Bank.

We recommend that the Director of HUD's Newark Office of Public Housing provide technical assistance to Long Branch and require updates to its procedures to ensure that it properly classifies income received under any future agreements or activities.

We recommend that the Director of HUD's Newark Office of Public Housing require Long Branch to prepare and provide support for a reasonable estimate of the amount of employee time used to perform services for Asbury Park and Red Bank and the amount of Long Branch program funds used to pay for that time.

We recommend that the Director of HUD's Newark Office of Public Housing require Long Branch to reimburse Long Branch's program from non-Federal funds for any Long Branch program funds used for payroll expenses related to services provided to Asbury Park and Red Bank as established in recommendation 2A, estimated to be $1,014,660.

We recommend that the Director of HUD's Newark Office of Public Housing require Long Branch to prepare and provide support to show the reasonableness and eligibility of the $1,583,652 in employee incentive payments related to services performed for Asbury Park and Red Bank, which was paid from agreement income, or reimburse its program from non-Federal funds for any amount it cannot support.

We recommend that the Director of HUD's Newark Office of Public Housing require Long Branch to implement adequate controls to ensure compliance with applicable cost principle requirements for employees, including those covering compensation for personal services, such as wages, salaries, and incentive payments, at 2 CFR 200.430. Records should reasonably reflect the total activity for which Long Branch's employees are compensated by the non-Federal entity and support the distribution of compensation among specific activities and cost objectives.

Provide support for the reimbursement to its housing program of $107,036 from non-Federal funds if justification cannot be provided to support that the overhead and profit amounts paid to the contractors were reasonable.

Train staff to ensure that expenditures, including payments made to contractors, are classified to the proper project activity in the DRGR system and provide support for training conducted.

Terminate the current lease and pay for any fees needed to terminate the lease from non-Federal funds.

Execute and record the release of the current lease with the third party and ensure that the declaration of trust is returned to the first priority position.

Correct the reporting and use of proceeds received from the current lease, thereby putting $1,278,260 to better use.

Repay from non-Federal funds any proceeds used for unallowable expenses identified in recommendation 1C.

Submit a Section 18 application to obtain HUD approval of any proposed new lease agreement prior to its execution, in compliance with the United States Housing Act of 1937 and 24 CFR Part 970.

Consider and take additional action if the Authority does not complete recommendations 1A and 1B before submitting its next annual plan, including withholding further awards for its program, conditioning future grant funds, and other remedies that may be legally available until the Authority completes recommendations 1A and 1B.

Support that $2,870,374 paid for goods and services was reasonable in accordance with applicable requirements or repay its Public Housing Operating Fund or Capital Fund programs from non-Federal funds for any amount that it cannot support or that is not considered reasonable.

Support that $1,236,210 in funds not yet spent on the contracts reviewed, along with any new procurements, would be reasonable or reallocate the funds to ensure that they will be put to their intended use

The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.

The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.

The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.

The OIG has determined that the contents of this recommendation would not be appropriate for public disclosure and has therefore limited its distribution to selected officials.

Define and communicate policies and procedures to ensure that its products, system components, systems, and services comply with its cybersecurity and SCRM requirements. This recommendation includes: