Reports

The purpose of this memorandum is to notify you that we are researching prior audits of HUD’s partial claims loss mitigation option to provide HUD information regarding lessons learned and risks identified in these prior audits that HUD should act on now to ensure program integrity and mitigate the risk of financial loss for COVID-19 related partial claims.

HUD OIG is researching Public and Indian Housing and Multifamily use of vacant units during previously Presidentially Declared Disasters and the COVID-19 declared Disaster, as well as PIH and Multifamily’s ability to place a waitlist preference for the homeless and how many homeless individuals had a 50058 or 50059 new move-in during the COVID pandemic.  Since the introduction of the CARES act, there has been an emphasis to review how HUD has reacted to the COVID-19 disaster.  HUD allocated $1 billion to keep America's homeless population safe.  The purpose of this research is to issue memorandums for both PIH and Multifamily addressing the research topics.

HUD OIG is  researching prior audits of HUD’s partial claims loss mitigation option.  On July 8, 2020, FHA issued Mortgagee Letter 2020-22 informing mortgagees the full suite of loss mitigations available to single family borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The purpose of this research is to provide HUD information regarding lessons learned and risks identified in these prior audits that HUD should act on now to ensure program integrity and mitigate the risk of financial loss for COVID-19 related partial claims.

HUD OIG is performing research to help HUD's Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus pandemic (CDBG-CV) grantees be aware of known risks and lessons learned from audits and evaluations of the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program grants (CDBG-DR).  The purpose of our research is to issue a report that is intended to assist HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) by developing lessons learned from past reviews and common risk areas to help its CDBG-CV grantees prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Office of Inspector General Audits Division will be conducting an evaluation to determine whether SBA has effective oversight to ensure the Resource Partner Associations implement the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and grant requirements.

The OIG plans to initiate a project to research and identify topics for potential audits and evaluations related to the EPA's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One objective of this audit is to evaluate elements within the System Security Plans to determine whether they provide details to allow the EPA to make decisions to secure its network during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Treasury reports that the Hardest Hit Fund is in a wind down status. SIGTARP will evaluate the status of the program, and Treasury’s planning of the program’s wind down. This will include, for example, TARP dollars remaining to be spent by state agencies, as well as current and estimated future program activity. It will also review Treasury’s direction and guidance to state agencies for wind down planning, and the state agencies’ response.

USAID’s branding and marking efforts enhance the visibility and value of U.S. foreign assistance and are intended to inform beneficiaries that aid comes from the American people. Unfortunately, according to the Agency, beneficiaries of the billions of dollars of foreign assistance provided by the United States every year often have little to no awareness that the aid they receive is provided by the American people.  The objectives of this audit are to determine the extent to which USAID: (1) has policies and procedures to ensure compliance with statutory branding and marking requirements and (2) provided information and oversight to ensure implementers complied with branding and marking requirements. Given particular interest from Congress amid the ongoing pandemic, this audit will consider the impact of COVID-19 under both objectives as appropriate.

The Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy (OGAC) has established a goal of 70 percent local partner participation in President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programs by 2020. Included in the definition of local partner participation is government-to-government assistance, which is especially risky in Africa given the levels of political corruption in countries with the greatest HIV prevalence. The objectives of this audit are to: (1) describe the extent to which USAID’s PEPFAR budgets are on track to meet the goal for local partner funding; (2) assess to what extent USAID’s agency-wide strategy has prepared the agency to increase PEPFAR funding to local partners while addressing risks; and (3) assess to what extent selected USAID missions in Africa followed agency guidance designed to achieve the goal for PEPFAR local partner funding while addressing risks.  The audit also explores topics related to the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on USAID’s ability to reach the OGAC target and the extent to which USAID has identified financial and programmatic risks emanating from the pandemic.