The NY Post is reporting that a recent HUD audit found more than $5 billion in taxpayer funds went to “questionable” rental assistance recipients during the final year of the Biden administration – including around 30k deceased tenants and 1000’s of potential non-citizens. The Post says HUD will now reach out to public housing authorities and other entities to confirm the extent of the fraud and either pause or revoke funding. In addition, criminal referrals could be made if warranted.
HUD’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer uncovered $5.8 billion of the “questionable” payments out of nearly $50 billion in total federal rental assistance to public housing authorities, contractors, landlords and other non-federal entities in fiscal year 2024, the 183-page report disclosed.
HUD officials said a “large concentration” of the suspicious payments went to New York, California and Washington, DC, with dead recipients getting at least some funds in all 50 states — in what federal officials are calling widespread abuse of taxpayers’ dollars under the Biden administration.
“A massive abuse of taxpayer dollars not only occurred under President [Joe] Biden’s watch, but was effectively incentivized by his administration’s failure to implement strong financial controls resulting in billions worth of potential improper payments,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a statement.
Click here to read the full story at the NY Post.
Click here to read the HUD media release.
