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Denver’s 2022 audit plan includes planned audits of the city’s response to homeless encampments

Plan will also look at residential permitting and affordable housing
denver homeless
Posted at 3:28 PM, Oct 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-10-18 17:28:15-04

DENVER – The city’s 2022 Audit Plan will include planned audits of the city’s response to homeless encampments, residential permitting and affordable housing, a spokesperson for the city auditor announced Monday.

“While a variety of factors impact which audits we add to the plan, this year’s list is exceptionally responsive to community input,” Auditor O’Brien said in a prepared statement. “Our residents are letting us know what’s most important to them, and I applaud the widespread interest in our city’s key issues.”

In a news release Monday, spokesperson Tayler Overschmidt said community members, as well as members of the Denver City Council and others have all shared concerns about how the city manages its response to encampments of people experiencing homelessness.

Because of those concerns, Overschmidt said, the city determined an audit on homeless encampments needed to be moved on their priority list. Overschmidt said the community will still see their previously planned audit of the city’s shelter services but the addition of the second audit will bring the office’s plans more in line with the priorities of the community. Some other key audits in the 2022 Audit Plan include:

  • How the Department of Housing Stability uses its funding to effectively and efficiently manage affordable housing projects.
  • Mental health services in Denver’s jails and a possible assessment of continued support following release from the jail system.
  • The city’s permitting process for residential dwellings.
  • Airport construction.
  • Continued assessments of contract compliance, cybersecurity, and construction projects.

“The audit process is not quick,” Auditor O’Brien said. “We take the time needed to do our due diligence and fact-checking, while adhering to generally accepted government auditing standards as required by the charter. This is how the public knows our work is of the highest quality and can be trusted.”

O’Brien said that even though the ultimate decision to do any audit is at his sole discretion, next year’s audit plan was completed with input from other city leaders including Mayor Michael Hancock and City Council members, as well as from information from previous audits, input from community members, and feedback from agency management.

To view the 2022 Audit Plan in full, click here.