Book Description

The Dept. of Housing and Urban Develop. (HUD) assists millions of Amer. through programs that encourage home ownership, house the poor, and promote econ. develop. To accomplish its mission, HUD relies on the integrity of thousands of third parties -- such as private lenders, contractors, nonprofit org., and local governments. As HUD dramatically downsized its staff in the 1990s, it came to rely more and more on private contractors, which deliver programs and perform many functions that used to be done by HUD's staff, incl. those in its mortgage insur. and rental assistance programs -- areas at high risk for fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. This report on HUD's acquisition mgmt. discusses the challenges HUD faces in overseeing its contractors. Charts and tables.