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Washington,
D.C.
–
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC),
Chairman
of
the Banking
Committee
Subcommittee
on
Housing,
Transportation,
and
Community
Development,
and
Chairman
Richard
Shelby
(R-AL),
Chairman
of
the
Committee
on
Banking,
Housing,
and
Urban
Affairs,
are
demanding
Housing
Secretary
Julian
Castro
provide
answers
for
the
appalling
conditions
that
persist
at
some
of
our
nation's
federally
funded
public
housing
properties.
Following
a
hearing
called
by
Scott
last
month,
it
was
discovered
that
despite
having
tens
of
millions
in
leftover
funding,
the
Department
of
Housing and
Urban
Development
(HUD) has
allowed
the
number
of
inspectors
to
decline
by
half,
they
have
waived
requirements
for
re-inspections
of
properties
that
had
initially
failed
inspections,
and
there
have
been
federal
violations
regarding
annual
inspections
of
underperforming
properties.
Secretary
Castro
refused
to
appear,
or
have
any
HUD
staff
testify,
at
the
hearing
and
has
not
commented
on
the
troubles
faced
by
his
department.
“We
have
some
serious
concerns
that
Secretary
Castro
has
failed
to
fulfill
his
legal
obligation
to
ensure
HUD-assisted
housing
is
safe,
sanitary,
and
in
good
repair,”
said
Scott.
“Castro’s
inaction
suggests
serious
negligence
with
respect
to
oversight
of
housing
quality,
to
the
detriment
of
many
families.”
The
full
text
of
the
letter
is
below,
and
a
PDF
version
can
be
viewed
here.
Video
from
September’s
hearing
can
be viewed
here.
October
31,
2016
The
Honorable
Julián
Castro
Secretary
U.S.
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development
451
7th
Street
SW
Washington,
DC
20410
Dear
Secretary
Castro:
Over
the
past
year,
Senator
Marco
Rubio
has
brought
to
the
Committee’s
attention
the
appalling
conditions
in
certain
Florida
housing
developments
that
receive
federal
assistance
from
the
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development
(HUD).
These
substandard
conditions
have
persisted
over
a
number
of
years
in
violation
of
the
physical
condition
standards
set
forth
in
federal
regulations.
Even
HUD
inspectors
have
described
these
conditions
as
“life-threatening.”[1]
On
September
22,
2016,
through
its
Subcommittee
on
Housing,
Transportation
and
Community
Development,
this
Committee
held
a
hearing
to
examine
HUD’s
inspection
process
at
federally-assisted
multifamily
properties.[2]
You
were
invited
to
testify
at
that
hearing,
directly
or
through
a
designee
of
your
choosing,
but
refused
to
appear.
We
are
deeply
troubled
that
you
have
refused
to
testify
on
this
important
issue.
Moreover,
we
have
serious
concerns
that
you
have
failed
to
fulfill
your
legal
obligation
to
ensure
that
HUD-assisted
housing
is
“decent,
safe,
sanitary,
and
in
good
repair.”[3]
According
to
HUD
senior
staff,
over
the
last
five
years
HUD
has:
- allowed
the
number
of
private
certified
inspectors
to
decline
by
half;
- reduced
the
number
of
training
days
required
for
inspector
certification;
- allowed
the
number
of
quality
assurance
inspectors
to
decline
by
nearly
two-thirds;
- waived
requirements
that
units
with
failing
scores
be
reinspected
by
quality
assurance
inspectors
within
60
days
of
a
failed
inspection;
- violated
federal
regulations
requiring
annual
reinspection
for
underperforming
properties
(some
of
which
were
not
reinspected
for
more
than
four
years);
and
- drastically
reduced
Management
and
Occupancy
Reviews
(MORs)
–
a
critical
fail-safe
for
standard
physical
inspections
–
due
to
a
prolonged
procurement
dispute.
Most
troubling,
it
appears
these
failings
were
not
the
result
of
budget
constraints.
Congress
has
fully
funded
the
President’s
budget
request
for
the
accounts
associated
with
physical
inspections
and
MORs
in
all
but
three
years
since
FY2010.
In
the
three
years
where
the
enacted
amount
was
less
than
requested,
the
amount
included
in
the
final
appropriation
reflected
substantial
unobligated
balances
that
were
carried
over
from
prior
years.
In
other
words,
each
year
you
have
withheld
millions
of
dollars
that
Congress
appropriated
for
physical
inspections
of
HUD-assisted
properties.
Your
inaction
suggests
serious
negligence
with
respect
to
oversight
of
housing
quality,
to
the
detriment
of
many
families.
To
better
inform
this
Committee,
please
provide
the
following
information
for
each
year
since
fiscal
year
2005,
by
state,
unless
otherwise
noted:
- The
number
of
physical
inspections
of
multifamily
properties
by
certified
inspectors,
and
the
number
of
quality
assurance
reinspections
and
collaborative
inspections
by
quality
assurance
inspectors.
- The
number
of
MORs
of
multifamily
properties,
listing
separately
those
performed
by
performance-based
contract
administrators
and
by
HUD
employees.
- The
number
of
HUD-employed
quality
assurance
inspectors.
- A
report
of
all
multifamily
properties
that
are
assessed
through
the
Real
Estate
Assessment
Center
and
have
Uniform
Physical
Condition
Standards
(UPCS)
physical
inspection
scores
of
less
than
60
or
have
received
an
unsatisfactory
management
and
occupancy
review
within
the
past
36
months.
- A
detailed
explanation
of
why
the
Office
of
Multifamily
Housing
Programs
suspended
MORs
and
how
it
ensured
effective
oversight
of
its
portfolio
in
their
absence.
- All
UPCS
inspection
reports
and
MORs
for
Eureka
Gardens
(PID
800004072),
Windsor
Cove
(PID
800004507),
and
Stonybrook
(PID
800004469),
redacted
only
for
personally
identifiable
information.
- All
documents
and
communications
referring
or
relating
to
the
findings,
determinations,
and/or
recommendations
of
HUD’s
inspections
task
force.
Please
provide
all
requested
information
and
documents
by
December
5,
2016.
Sincerely,
Richard
C.
Shelby,
Chairman,
Committee
on
Banking,
Housing,
and
Urban
Affairs
Tim
Scott,
Chairman
of
the Banking
Committee
Subcommittee
on
Housing,
Transportation,
and
Community
Development
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