Press Release  Auditor Bump Releases Report on Sudbury Housing Authority

Boston — State Auditor Suzanne Bump today released an audit of the Sudbury Housing Authority (SHA) which found some areas for improvement.

The audit found the SHA conducted two transactions without first getting the required approval from its board of commissioners. Auditors found that the authority awarded an $8,395 contract to a private construction company for modernization work and wrote-off $1,565 in an uncollectible tenant account without board approval. The commissioners’ approval is required by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) regulations and ensures oversight of SHA finances.

Additionally, the authority did not consistently perform bank reconciliations for multiple accounts during the 21-month audit period. The authority completed only six of 30 possible bank reconciliations for its modernization and development accounts and none for its pet-deposit account. By not performing monthly bank reconciliations, the SHA risks the loss of funds through unauthorized charges or theft.

The report also identified incomplete inventories of the authority’s furniture and equipment and a misstatement of the value of employee leave time in its financial records. The authority indicated it is working to address issues identified in the audit.

The Sudbury Housing Authority manages and oversees 16 units of state housing for low-income families, 64 units of state housing for elderly tenants, and manages 12 units of non-state affordable family housing.

The Office of the State Auditor conducts technical assessments and performance audits of state government’s programs, departments, agencies, authorities, contracts, and vendors. With its reports, the OSA issues recommendations to improve accountability, efficiency, and transparency.

The Sudbury Housing Authority audit is available here.

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