(The following was excerpted from a recent article in the Single Audit Information Service.) The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently recommended that HUD enhance its oversight of public housing agencies (PHAs) to ensure they maintain valid declarations of trust for all HUD-assisted properties. A declaration of trust is a legal instrument that grants HUD an interest in a public housing property supported by federal funds. The legal instrument protects HUD’s financial investment in the property by allowing it to seize and reassign a property in the event of substantial default.

We recently attended a forum on data analytics recently hosted by the Data Coalition. So, what do data analytics have to do with grants? It could mean a lot.

(The following was excerpted from a recent article in the Federal Grants Management Handbook.) States with operating rail fixed guideway transit systems, such as subway systems or trolleys, now have three years to establish a State Safety Oversight (SSO) program for certification by the Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) or risk being prohibited from receiving federal rail safety funding, under a new rule issued by FTA aimed at giving states more oversight and enforcement authority over rail transit safety.

Not too long ago, rock singer Bob Seger released a song entitled, “Feel Like a Number,” which highlighted how we are losing out identity as a name and, more often than not, identified simply as a number. Same holds true in the retail world, as clothing items and groceries are scanned in by number using bar codes. As we continue to rely on such codes, it’s important that they are accurate. This leads us to a recent audit by the Department of Health and Human Services related to improper payments in Medicaid related to incorrect coding.

(The following was excerpted from a recent article in the Single Audit Information Service.) The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) planned to reevaluate what can serve as sufficient documentation to support allocation adjustments under a state public transportation fund. A recent audit by the Michigan Office of Auditor General (OAG) found that a MDOT office did not corroborate adjustments to audits of transportation provider expenses with appropriate documentation.

Upon witnessing snow falling in the D.C. region this past weekend, it can make sense that there are numerous factors leading to climate change. Snow in January is expected; not in mid-April. Now, breathing in an April snowfall may not necessarily be dangerous to one's health, but other factors out there that affect climate change will. To address these concerns, the Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $8.5 million in research funding to 12 universities to protect air quality from the current and future challenges associated with the impacts of climate change.

(The following was excerpted from a recent article in the Federal Grants Management Handbook.) The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to review and potentially update its current Medicaid guidance on nonemergency medical transportation to help states comply with federal requirements, in response to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendation.

Over the past few weeks, I had noticed some changes but it didn't really register until I came across a recent blog post from Dr. Michael Lauer, deputy director for extramural research at the National Institutes of Health. The post discussed the various changes NIH had made to its website to make grants-related information easier to find.

(The following was excerpted from a recent article in the Single Audit Information Service.) The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently recommended that two state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) establish procedures to improve case file documentation and to inform federal officials about Medicaid provider convictions.