The office of Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor will begin an audit of the use of funds received by the County’s Department of Human Services (DHS) from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to prevent homelessness and assist unhoused populations.

The funds come from Pennsylvania’s Homeless Assistance Program (HAP), which provides funding to counties for services to homeless populations and is allocated for services provided by DHS or contracted agencies.

“Our audit will look at the allocation of County resources in this space and assess their effectiveness in preventing and alleviating homelessness,” O’Connor said. “To meaningfully address this seemingly intractable and growing problem, we need data on the operation of our existing programs and to identify where gaps may exist. I am hopeful that this audit will help to address this critical issue more comprehensively and effectively.”

DHS documentation shows the County has spent over $10 million in HAP funds in recent fiscal years.