Audit finds Section 8 problems in Evangeline Parish

By: ELIZABETH WEST
Associate Editor

In the Evangeline Parish Police Jury’s 2014 financial report, multiple issues concerning the parish’s Section 8 Housing program were discovered and expressed in the auditor’s report.
The legislative audit showed that some Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers were missing initials from Section 8 Director and Secretary-Treasurer indicating review and approval of invoices. It was clear that the established purchasing policy was not followed by the Public Housing Agency (PHA) which according to the audit could lead to “unapproved or unallowable expenses” being paid for with federal funds.
Also among the findings listed in the 2014 audit was unavailable documentation of employees’ time worked on the federal program. The U.S. government Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires that “all payroll charges must be supported as prescribed in OMB Circular A-87, Attachment B.” According to the audit “expenses were paid with federal funds that did not meet the criteria of OMB Circular A-87, Attachment B, resulting in questioned costs totaling $4,299.80.”
 Other findings included: unsigned tenant forms, Housing Quality Inspections (HQS) not properly documented, and  documentation of background checks on new tenants was not maintained.
At this time, jurors Kevin Veillon and Bryan Vidrine were not able to provide any information other than what is recorded in the legislative audit which the public can freely access if they wish.
The jurors according to Vidrine should have more information on the Section 8 issues after the next Police Jury meeting, held on the second Monday of every month. “The auditor has not reviewed everything with us yet but he should be in attendance at the next meeting to go through the audit findings with us.”
The complete Police Jury financial report along with the auditor’s findings can be viewed online at www.lla.state.la.us.