PHAs and HUD Remain Challenged to Improve and Sustain Optimal Occupancy in Public Housing to Maximize Families Served

Official summary from the Oversight.gov

We assessed public housing agencies’ (PHA) management of the occupancy of public housing units. Our audit objective was to (1) assess the occupancy of public housing units, and (2) determine whether HUD had adequate oversight of PHAs’ occupancy, particularly PHAs’ management of vacant units. We found PHAs had occupancy rates below HUD’s optimal level or a high number of long-term vacant units. Further, although HUD monitors PHAs’ occupancy rates, it does not require very small PHAs or all PHAs with a high number of long-term vacant units take action to address vacancies. These conditions occurred because PHAs experienced delays in turning over vacant units, especially units that required extensive repairs, due to (1) a lack of financial and staffing resources, including contractors, (2) inadequate processes or management oversight, and (3) holding vacant units offline to relocate tenants from units or buildings that were being repaired, renovated, demolished, or converted under HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (RAD). Additionally, some PHAs’ units were vacant because they were uninhabitable due to fires, natural disasters, or deterioration. Further, HUD’s current risk