Reports
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Environmental Protection Agency OIG
The Coronavirus Pandemic Caused Schedule Delays, Human Health Impacts, and Limited Oversight at Superfund National Priorities List Sites
Coronavirus pandemic restrictions delayed work and limited on-site oversight, with disproportionate impacts to some communities.
Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG
Challenges Faced by Section 232 Nursing Homes During the Pandemic
We conducted a limited review of nursing home owners to identify their operational challenges and needs of nursing homes in responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our objective was to determine the biggest challenges operators of Section 232 nursing home facilities face related to the COVID-19 pandemic and whether nursing homes are prepared to meet their future financial obligations. Most of the owners who responded to our survey indicated that nursing homes experienced financial and operational challenges during the pandemic. These challenges included staffing...
Environmental Protection Agency OIG
EPA Should Consistently Track Coronavirus Pandemic-Related Grant Flexibilities and Implement Plan for Electronic Grant File Storage
The EPA Office of Grants and Debarment does not know the full extent to which program offices and regions have implemented grant flexibilities and exceptions permitted by the Office of Management and Budget due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Office of Grants and Debarment tracked grants that received flexibilities through its issued class waivers and regulatory exceptions but did not track grants that received flexibilities and exceptions approved by program offices and regions. The lack of agencywide tracking of grant flexibilities and exceptions hindered the Agency’s ability to assess how...
Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG
HUD Did Not Always Comply With Its Internal Guide When Transitioning Offices From Mandatory to Maximum Telework During the COVID-19 Pandemic
We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) transitioning of offices from mandatory to maximum telework during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, based on a request from Representative Gerald Connolly, to review whether HUD was employing best practices and existing guidance when deciding whether or when to require Federal employees to return to their offices. Transitioning an office to maximum telework allowed HUD employees to voluntarily return to an office. We focused our audit on whether HUD complied with its internal Resuming Normal Operations...
Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG
FHA Borrowers Did Not Always Properly Receive COVID-19 Forbearances From Their Loan Servicers
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), completed an audit to determine whether FHA-insured borrowers properly received the COVID-19-related forbearance. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, 2020, provided a mortgage payment forbearance option for all borrowers who suffered a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 national emergency. We found that at least one-third of the nearly 335,000 borrowers who were delinquent on their FHA-insured loans and not on forbearance in November...
Environmental Protection Agency OIG
Authorized State Hazardous Waste Program Inspections and Operations Were Impacted During Coronavirus Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic impacted Resource Conservation and Recovery Act state program operations and resulted in fewer inspections.
Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG
Public Housing Agencies’ Experiences and Challenges Regarding the Administration of HUD’s CARES Act Funds
We conducted a limited review of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supplemental public housing operating funds (supplemental funds). Our objective was to assess public housing agencies’ (PHA) experiences and challenges and HUD’s efforts in providing guidance related to the administration of the supplemental operating funds under the CARES Act. We found that the PHA survey respondents generally cited positive experiences and no major challenges related to the administration of supplemental funds under the...
Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG
Lessons Learned and Key Considerations From Prior Audits and Evaluations of the CDBG Disaster Recovery Program
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act made available $5 billion in supplemental CDBG funding for grants to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (CDBG-CV grants). Because of similarities, we reviewed 132 CDBG-DR program audits and evaluations issued from May 2002 to March 2020 to summarize the common CDBG-DR program weaknesses and risks for CPD to consider to help its CDBG-CV grantees effectively and efficiently manage their CDBG-CV program operations. We found that grantees had common areas of weaknesses and risks in the...
Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG
Fraud Risk Inventory for the CDBG and ESG CARES Act Funds
We conducted this engagement in coordination with the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) to gain an understanding of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) fraud risk management practices and develop an inventory of fraud risks that HUD had not already identified for the funds appropriated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs. We identified five overall risk factors that contribute to the risk of fraud for the CDBG and ESG CARES Act...
Environmental Protection Agency OIG
Pandemic Highlights Need for Additional Tribal Drinking Water Assistance and Oversight in EPA Regions 9 and 10
The coronavirus pandemic negatively impacted the oversight and assistance that Regions 9 and 10 provide to the tribal drinking water systems under their purview, as well as the capacity of these systems to provide safe drinking water. The pandemic also underscored the limitations of both EPA resources and tribal drinking water system resiliency. As a result, tribal drinking water systems may be unable to operate safely and comply with drinking water regulations. Access to safe and clean water is critical at all times, but even more so during pandemic situations.