The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery. Over a year after the first funds were appropriated, much of the money remains unspent because grantees in Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands are still in planning phases. GAO found that HUD does not have the review guidance and monitoring plans it needs for good grantee oversight. GAO recommends Congress consider permanently authorizing a disaster assistance program that meets unmet needs in a timely manner and suggests that the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development:

  1. Develop additional guidance for HUD staff to use when assessing the adequacy of the financial controls, procurement processes, and grant management procedures that grantees develop.
  2. Develop additional guidance for HUD staff to use when assessing the adequacy of the capacity and unmet needs assessments that grantees develop.
  3. Require staff to document the basis for their conclusions during reviews of grantees’ financial controls, procurement processes, and grant management procedures and capacity and unmet needs assessments.
  4. Develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring plan for the 2017 grants.
  5. Conduct workforce planning for the Disaster Recovery and Special Issues Division to help ensure that it has sufficient staff with appropriate skills and competencies to manage a growing portfolio of grants.