HUD Has Made Progress Toward Improving Accountability and Control of Its Programs, but Weaknesses Persist

Increasing accountability in HUD’s programs was a primary goal of the 2020 Management Reform Plan, but the goal has not yet been fully met. HUD’s numerous actions to improve accountability included developing a strategic planning process, enhancing its monitoring ability, improving information and financial management systems, improving contracting procedures, and creating new centralized entities, specifically an enforcement authority. Staffing and Training- Related Problems Remain At HUD

Although HUD’s actions were intended to improve overall operations, HUD continues to face problems associated with its efforts to refocus and retrain its staff. These challenges cut across HUD’s programs and its efforts to consolidate and streamline its operations, improve accountability and control of its programs, and refocus and retrain its staff. Successfully addressing these challenges in the areas of human capital, information and financial management systems, and acquisition management will determine whether HUD can sustain the progress of its management reform efforts and make progress toward its goal of becoming a high-performing organization. HUD would also continue downsizing by consolidating and streamlining operations. Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of Housing and Urban Development (GAO-01-248, Jan. 2001).
Why GAO Did This Study

In 1997, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began a management reform effort, called the 2020 Management Reform Plan, to resolve its management and operational problems.

What GAO Found

GAO found that HUD has had some successes in implementing the management reforms, but challenges remain. Some initiatives, such as consolidating and streamlining operations, were achieved relatively quickly and are producing results. Other efforts, such as improving the efficiency of those operations and improving accountability, have been hampered by inefficient distribution of workload and other problems. HUD has made some progress toward improving accountability and control of its programs. Specifically, HUD developed a strategic planning process; enhanced monitoring tools; improved some aspects of its information and financial management systems; improved contracting procedures; and established centralized entities, such as an enforcement authority, to follow up on problem properties. HUD's efforts to refocus and retrain its staff have been somewhat successful. HUD faces several challenges in its efforts to consolidate and streamline its operations, improve accountability and control of its programs, and refocus and retrain its staff. Successfully addressing these challenges in the areas of human capital, information and financial management systems, and acquisition management will determine whether HUD can sustain the progress of its management reform efforts and become a high-performing organization.