§ 968.335 - HUD review of PHA performance.

(a) HUD determination. At least annually, HUD shall carry out such reviews of the performance of each PHA as may be necessary or appropriate to make the determinations required by this paragraph, taking into consideration all available evidence.

(1) Conformity with comprehensive plan. HUD will determine whether the PHA has carried out its activities under this subpart in a timely manner and in accordance with its comprehensive plan.

(2) Continuing capacity. HUD will determine whether the PHA has a continuing capacity to carry out its comprehensive plan in a timely manner. After the first full operational year of CGP, CIAP experience will not be taken into consideration except where the PHA has not yet had comparable experience under the CGP.

(3) Reasonable progress. HUD shall determine whether the PHA has satisfied, or has made reasonable progress towards satisfying, the following performance standards:

(i) Conformity with its comprehensive plan, including its annual statement and latest HUD-approved five-year action plan, and other statutory and regulatory requirements;

(ii) Continuing capacity to carry out its comprehensive plan in a timely manner and expend the annual grant funds; and

(iii) Reasonable progress toward bringing all of its developments to the modernization and energy conservation standards and toward implementing the work specified in the annual statement or five-year action plan designed to address management deficiencies.

(b) Notice of deficiency. Based on HUD reviews of PHA performance and findings of any of the deficiencies in paragraph (d) of this section, HUD may issue to the PHA a notice of deficiency stating the specific program requirements which the PHA has violated and requesting the PHA to take any of the actions in paragraph (e) of this section.

(c) Corrective action order. (1) Based on HUD reviews of PHA performance and findings of any of the deficiencies in paragraph (d) of this section, HUD may issue to the PHA a corrective action order, whether or not a notice of deficiency has previously been issued in regard to the specific deficiency on which the corrective action order is based. HUD may order corrective action at any time by notifying the PHA of the specific program requirements which the PHA has violated, and specifying that any of the corrective actions listed in paragraph (e) of this section must be taken. HUD shall design corrective action to prevent a continuation of the deficiency, mitigate any adverse effects of the deficiency to the extent possible, or prevent a recurrence of the same or similar deficiencies;

(2) Before ordering corrective action, HUD will notify the PHA and give it an opportunity to consult with HUD regarding the proposed action;

(3) Any corrective action ordered by HUD shall become a condition of the grant agreement;

(4) If HUD orders corrective action by a PHA in accordance with this section, the PHA's Board of Commissioners must notify affected residents of HUD's determination, the bases for the determination, the conditioning requirements imposed under this paragraph, and the consequences to the PHA if it fails to comply with HUD's requirements.

(d) Basis for corrective action. HUD may order a PHA to take corrective action only if HUD determines:

(1) The PHA has not submitted a performance and evaluation report, in accordance with §968.330;

(2) The PHA has not carried out its activities under the CGP program in a timely manner and in accordance with its comprehensive plan or HUD requirements, as determined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section;

(3) The PHA does not have a continuing capacity to carry out its comprehensive plan in a timely manner or in accordance with its comprehensive plan or HUD requirements, as determined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section;

(4) The PHA has not satisfied, or has not made reasonable progress towards satisfying, the performance standards specified in paragraph (a)(3) of this section;

(5) An audit conducted in accordance with 24 CFR part 44, or pursuant to other HUD reviews (including monitoring findings) reveals deficiencies that HUD reasonably believes require corrective action; or

(6) The PHA has failed to repay HUD for amounts awarded under the CGP program that were improperly expended.

(e) Types of corrective action. HUD may direct a PHA to take one or more of the following corrective actions:

(1) Submit additional information:

(i) Concerning the PHA's administrative, planning, budgeting, accounting, management, and evaluation functions, to determine the cause for a PHA not meeting the standards in paragraph (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3) of this section;

(ii) Explaining any steps the PHA is taking to correct the deficiencies;

(iii) Documenting that PHA activities were not inconsistent with the PHA's annual statement or other applicable laws, regulations, or program requirements; and

(iv) Demonstrating that the PHA has a continuing capacity to carry out the comprehensive plan in a timely manner;

(2) Submit detailed schedules for completing the work identified in its Annual Statements and report periodically on its progress on meeting the schedules;

(3) Notwithstanding 24 CFR 85.36(g), submit to HUD the following documents for prior approval, which may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Proposed agreement with the architect/engineer (prior to execution);

(ii) Complete construction and bid documents (prior to soliciting bids);

(iii) Proposed award of contracts, including construction and equipment contracts and management contracts; or

(iv) Proposed contract modifications prior to issuance, including modifications to construction and equipment contracts, and management contracts;

(4) Submit additional material in support of one or more of the statements, resolutions, and certifications submitted as part of the PHA's Comprehensive Plan, Five-Year Action Plan, or Performance and Evaluation Report;

(5) Not incur financial obligations, or to suspend payments for one or more activities;

(6) Reimburse, from non-HUD sources, one or more program accounts for any amounts improperly expended;

(7) Submit to an alternative management strategy which may involve third-party oversight or administration of the modernization function; and

(8) Take such other corrective actions HUD determines appropriate to correct PHA deficiencies.

(f) Failure to take corrective action. In cases where HUD has ordered corrective action and the PHA has failed to take the required actions within a reasonable time, as specified by HUD, HUD may take one or more of the following steps;

(1) Withhold some or all of the PHA's grant;

(2) Declare a breach of the ACC grant amendment with respect to some or all of the PHA's functions; or

(3) Any other sanction authorized by law or regulation.

(g) Reallocation of funds that have been withheld. Where HUD has withheld for a prescribed period of time some or all of a PHA's annual grant, HUD may reallocate such amounts to other PHAs/IHAs under the CGP program, subject to approval in appropriations acts. The reallocation shall be made to IHAs which HUD has determined to be administratively capable under §950.135, and to PHAs under the CGP program which are not designated as either troubled or mod troubled under the PHMAP at 24 CFR part 901, based upon the relative needs of these IHAs and PHAs, as determined under the formula at §968.103(e) and (f).

(h) Right to appeal. Before withholding some or all of the PHA's annual grant, declaring a breach of the ACC grant amendment, or reallocating funds that have been withheld, HUD will notify the PHA and give it an opportunity, within a prescribed period of time, to present to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing any arguments or additional facts and data concerning the proposed action.

(i) Notification of residents. The PHA's Board of Commissioners must notify affected residents of HUD's final determination to withhold funds, declare a breach of the ACC grant amendment, or reallocate funds, as well as the basis for, and the consequences resulting from, such a determination.

(j) Recapture. In addition, HUD may recapture for good cause any grant amounts previously provided to an PHA, based upon a determination that the PHA has failed to comply with the requirements of the CGP program. Before recapturing any grant amounts, HUD will notify the PHA and give it an opportunity to appeal in accordance with paragraph (h) of this section. Any reallocation of recaptured amounts will be reallocated in accordance with paragraph (g) of this section. The PHA's board of Commissioners must notify affected residents of HUD's final determination to recapture any funds.

(k) Cumulative remedies. The authority to condition, withhold, reallocate or recapture a PHA's grant, as provided in this section, is in addition to the authority contained in §968.310(c) to reduce a PHA's formula allocation based upon its designation as a mod troubled PHA.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 2577-0157)

[57 FR 5575, Feb. 14, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 44843, Aug. 30, 1994. Redesignated and amended at 61 FR 8748, Mar. 5, 1996; 62 FR 27126, May 16, 1997]