HUD OIG is auditing the use of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds as nonfederal match for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program.  We will review four grantees, which as of July 2023, had budgeted more than $904 million and had spent nearly $356 million on completed and underway match activities.

HUD OIG is auditing a State of New York Hurricane Sandy CDBG-DR grant, which totaled $4.4 billion, and was appropriated by Congress in Public Law 113-2. Our audit objective is to determine whether the grantee conducted its Hurricane Sandy funded 2017 through 2023 disaster recovery procurements using full, fair, and open competition methods.

HUD OIG is auditing selected direct non-State disaster grantees designated as slow spenders. HUD awarded more than $209 million, approximately $89.1 million of which remained unspent, and the grants had either been open more than 10 years or were quickly approaching their deadlines.

HUD OIG is auditing HUD's CDBG-DR National Disaster Resilience (NDR) program, which was designed to promote risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and resilience planning to states and communities. Under this program, HUD awarded nearly $1 billion to 13 States and local governments for resilient infrastructure, housing, and economic revitalization activities related to major disasters that occurred between 2011 and 2013.

HUD OIG is auditing the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs, which provides insurance on mortgages for multifamily rental housing properties. Between 2020 and 2022, HUD implemented changes to better manage applications after reporting an increase in volume and processing delays, which peaked with more than 500 applications waiting to be assigned for review. Our audit objective is to assess HUD’s efforts to address the processing delays.

HUD OIG is auditing Puerto Rico's Community Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.   HUD awarded Puerto Rico over $20 billion dollars in  CDBG-DR funding for the 2017 disasters.  Our objective is to conduct an assessment of Puerto Rico’s fraud risk management practices that encompasses control activities to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud when administering programs funded by CDBG-DR grants associated with the 2017 disasters.

HUD OIG is auditing Puerto Rico's Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA).  HUD awarded Puerto Rico more than $20 billion in CDBG-DR funding to address the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, of which $295 million was budgeted to the HBA program. Our objective is to determine the impact that the program had in increasing homeownership rates in Puerto Rico post Hurricanes Irma and Maria and whether it is on track in delivering the expected program outcome.

HUD OIG initiated an audit of the City of New Orleans’ Community Development Block Grant National Disaster Resilience (CDBG-NDR) Grant. The audit objective is to determine whether the City’s CDBG NDR grant projects and management were effective in assisting the City in recovering from past disaster events while improving its ability to withstand future extreme events. On January 21, 2016, HUD announced 13 CDBG-NDR finalists and in January 2017, the City of New Orleans Office of Community Development received $141,260,569 in a CDBG- NDR Grant under Public Law 113-2 for resilience and recovery.

HUD OIG is auditing the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) and Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) programs.  HUD is in the process of developing a Disaster Recovery Data Portal that would give grantees access to data HUD receives from other federal agencies for use in conducing DOB assessments.  Our audit objective is to determine the status of HUD’s Disaster Recovery Data Portal, and if it can be an effective tool to assist grantees in preventing and detecting duplication of benefits using disaster recovery and mitigation grant funds.  

HUD OIG is auditing the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority's 2017 CDBG Disaster Recovery Match Program. After hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the Islands in September 2017, HUD awarded USVI $1.14 billion in CDBG-DR funds. Of the total award, $415,750,000 was budgeted to the match program. The match program matches HUD funds with other agencies, such as FEMA, to address unmet recovery needs.