Improvements Needed in Selecting and Processing Urban Development Action Grants

Gao ID: CED-79-64 March 30, 1979

An examination of the Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) Program focused on application review and approval procedures at Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters for 18 selected grants from the April 6, July 11, and August 2, 1978, funding rounds. The 154 grants awarded on those dates were the first grants awarded under the UDAG program. The basis for grant approval, rejection, and holdover decisions was evaluated. The 18 grants reviewed consisted of 6 new metropolitan city applications, 7 metropolitan city applications held over from earlier rounds, and 5 new small city applications.

Of the 18 grants reviewed, 4 were questionable in that: 2 were made without any substantial commitment of private resources; 1 was apparently not needed to stimulate private investment; and 1 primarily benefited a private firm. There was little or no documentation beyond the area/regional office level to show the basis for the funding decisions made and the disposition of conflicting area/regional comments on the proposed grants. Grant funds were not always released promptly.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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