Over the last three fiscal years for which reports are available, auditors for CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP found issues with the Wilmington Housing Authority’s internal control over federal programs — including “material weaknesses” in all three years from 2018 to 2020 and “significant deficiencies” in both 2018 and 2020. The WHA’s fiscal year runs April 1 to March 31. According to the authority, the 2021 financial audit has been delayed and is due to be filed at the end of June.

WHA Board Chair Al Sharp said that the findings were not for financial mismanagement, but for compliance with HUD regulations on data management.

“The findings were on the data, and following the rules to certify certain things on an annual basis. So the financials, it's clean,” Sharp said.

Asked why WHA had issues with the compliance side for three years running, Sharp said it might have been management issues, or the switch to a new software system. Kim Fitzwater, WHA’s chief financial officer, noted that there was high turnover in property management for some time.

Sharp said there were a number of issues that may have impacted past audits, but that he believed all the recurring problems had been dealt with.

“I think, and this is a projection, but I think that none of these will be in the current audit,” Sharp said, referring to the forthcoming 2021 audit.

An issue that wasn’t identified in the audits was a significant overpayment on the Rankin Terrace project — which was rehabilitated and...

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