Owning a home in America has been a source of pride and security for countless generations. From rural counties to bustling cities, homes offer a unique opportunity to lay down roots, start a family, and embark on new beginnings. National Homeownership Month is observed every June in the United States to raise awareness about the ongoing commitment to assisting families and individuals achieve their lifelong dream of homeownership.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) focuses on its longstanding commitment and critical role in providing accessible, affordable, and equitable homeownership opportunities to Americans nationwide. At the core of the agency’s mission is the belief that everyone deserves the chance to live with security, dignity, and hope in a place they can call home.
Homeownership and Public Housing Authorities
With over 80 years of combined experience, our Berman Hopkins Public Housing Authority (PHA) Group works with PHAs to ensure compliance with fair housing laws and regulations related to the use of their federal funds. Because of limited resources, most Public Housing Authorities desire the audit process to be more than just issuing financial statements. We believe in this as well.
We support and work to further the missions of our Public Housing Authority clients in many ways. Our strategic plan focuses on proactive, prompt, and personal service. Annually, our firm audits approximately 30 public housing authorities, 20 Multifamily HUD entities, 15 Low-income Tax Credit Entities, and 25 other PHA-related entities, including various component units.
Housing Authority of the City of Austin
We are proud to support the mission of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA). As trusted financial auditors to HACA, we work hard to ensure their operations are transparent and accountable. We perform their Annual Financial Audit, Single Audit, as well as nine separate financial audits and tax work for component units.
"HACA has enjoyed a five-year auditing relationship with Berman Hopkins," said Mike Gerber, President & CEO of HACA. "During this period, our Authority converted our full 18-property portfolio to Project-Based Rental Assistance through the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (RAD). The transition created significant additional complexities, which Berman Hopkins handled efficiently. We also expanded our portfolio of affordable housing properties and continued to serve as a Project-Based contract administrator for HUD in Texas and Arkansas. Due to the growth of our Authority and changes in our programs, our books are challenging. We found Berman Hopkins to be a strong auditing partner for our Authority. We have high expectations around compliance and other HUD auditing standards. Berman Hopkins assembled a strong team to complete our required audit. They worked very well with our staff and board of commissioners, and we would recommend them unreservedly.”
Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale
The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale (HACFL) provides affordable housing to thousands of low-income residents in Broward County. It offers a holistic approach to creating sustainable communities through numerous programs promoting self-sufficiency and economic opportunity for residents, including the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program and the Step-Up Apprenticeship Initiative. As trusted financial auditors, our team is committed to helping the HACFL with its Annual Financial Audit, Single Audit, as well as numerous separate financial audit and tax work for component units, and tax credit properties.
“Berman Hopkins has been our auditors for over ten years," said Michael Tadros, Chief Financial Officer of HACFL. "They have always performed their engagements promptly to avoid any errors. In addition to their professionalism, they are a wealth of knowledge in all HUD programs related to Housing and Tax Credits. The staff on site is always courteous and professional."
Pinellas County Housing Authority
The Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) assists approximately 8,500 individuals at varying incomes to afford safe, sanitary housing. At Berman Hopkins, we are committed to their mission of providing housing support to residents and increasing access to education, employment opportunities, and other assistance programs. Our team performs an Annual Financial Audit, Single Audit, four separate financial audits, and tax work for component units for the PCHA.
“Berman Hopkins has helped contribute to Pinellas County Housing Authority's success as a high-performing entity,” said Neil Thompson, Chief Financial Officer of Pinellas County Housing Authority. “Berman Hopkins provides excellent advice on HUD/GAAP reporting requirements and provides specific training to our finance and accounting staff. I can attest to the extraordinarily competent staff. Their technical knowledge and willingness to teach our staff have the great advantage of allowing an organization to learn, thereby creating a lasting effect. I believe that Berman Hopkins will bring the ability and dedication to structure feasible solutions to every project."
Here to Help
At Berman Hopkins, we build value-added relationships with each client to provide solid solutions, and our approach offers direct access to the firm's decision-makers. Contact us to let us know how we can best support you.
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