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Regular Session, 2013 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 53
BY SENATOR PETERSON
A RESOLUTION
To direct the office of community development to follow certain recommendations of the
legislative auditor and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, office
of inspector general.
WHEREAS, the legislative auditor recommends the office of community
development finalize its proposed "action plan" amendments and formally submit them to
the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for approval; and
WHEREAS, the legislative auditor also recommends that the office of community
development continue to identify recipients who have not provided adequate evidence of
compliance with covenants to either the office of community development or disaster
recovery unit; and
WHEREAS, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program agreement between the Federal
Emergency Management Agency and the state requires the office of community
development pursue recovery of assistance provided to applicants through error,
misappropriation, fraud, or if the state finds that the recipient misappropriated the funds
inappropriately; and
WHEREAS, the legislative auditor recommends that the office of community
development conduct an expeditious review of all awards identified for potential recovery
and those determined to be ineligible; and
WHEREAS, it is further recommended that the office of community development
obtain and review supporting construction documentation to ensure all transactions charged
by contractors are justified and performed prior to approving applicant reimbursement; and
WHEREAS, additionally, the legislative auditor recommends that the office of
community development review payments already made to applicants to obtain additional
supporting documentation where necessary to verify funds were used in compliance with the
grant; and SR NO. 53 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, if it is found that funds were inappropriately used, the office of
community development should pursue recoupment of funds from the recipient; and
WHEREAS, HUD's office of inspector general recommends that the office of
community development enforce program remedies and recovery procedures for
noncompliance as stated in the grant agreement, including but not limited to the recovery of
$437.3 million in elevation grant funds that were allocated to fifteen thousand twenty-seven
homeowners who did not elevate their homes within three years in accordance with the terms
of the grant funds; and
WHEREAS, HUD's office of inspector general also recommends that the office of
community development verify that the homeowners, who received grant funds but did not
respond to the monitoring survey, in fact used the funds to elevate their homes; and
WHEREAS, if it is found that funds were not used for home elevation, the office of
community development should pursue recoupment of funds from the recipient; and
WHEREAS, HUD's office of inspector general further recommends that the office
of community development reimburse the uncollectible elevation grant funds from
nonfederal funds.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby direct the office of community development to comply with the
recommendations of the legislative auditor and HUD's office of inspector general.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
appropriate person in the division of administration's office of community development, the
legislative auditor's office, and HUD's office of inspector general.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE