CURRENT AUDITS
Street Maintenance
The Atlanta Department of Transportation was established to serve as the coordinating agency for transportation matters within the city. The department oversees the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the mobility network, with the goal of improving city roads, increasing transportation connectivity, enhancing safety initiatives, and supporting a more equitable and sustainable transportation system. Atlanta maintains approximately 1,600 centerline miles of roadways, with portions of the city’s pavement identified as being in poor or very poor condition. This audit will assess how the city evaluates pavement conditions, prioritizes roadway maintenance, and allocates resources to address infrastructure needs and support long-term street-condition goals.
APD Asset Forfeiture
The Atlanta Police Department uses asset forfeiture as a tool to deter and address criminal activity by seizing property connected to criminal offenses, including participation in the Federal Equitable Sharing Program. Because the agency responsible for seizing assets may also benefit from forfeiture proceeds, these activities pose inherent conflicts of interest and raise concerns about safeguarding assets prior to disposition. In addition, there is a risk that the city may not fully identify, claim, or receive all funds to which it is entitled. This audit will evaluate whether appropriate procedures, controls, and safeguards are in place to mitigate risks associated with asset forfeiture activities.
Law Department Outside Legal Counsel Contracting
The city attorney is authorized to engage outside counsel when, for example, the department needs specialized expertise or determines that a conflict of interest exists. These services have been exempted from regular procurement rules—the department is authorized to pay for them through direct payments that do not require a purchase order. This audit will evaluate controls and safeguards in place to ensure that payments to outside legal counsel are consistent with the Law Department's procedures and contracting best practices. It will not determine whether fraud, waste, or abuse occurred, which is the purview of the city’s Office of Inspector General.
Lien Tracking
Liens are placed on City of Atlanta properties to notify property owners that the city has an interest in the property until all debts owed are paid. The Office of Revenue is responsible for filing liens against property owners to satisfy outstanding amounts owed to the city and also collects payments on those liens. This quick response audit will assess how the city manages the lien process to improve the likelihood of cost recovery.
Housing Help Center
City Council passed Resolution 26-R-3539 requesting an audit of the Housing Help Center. The Center is the City of Atlanta’s official housing resource center, created in October 2023 to connect citizens to resources and reduce resident displacement. The audit will determine who is accessing the Housing Help Center’s referral services, evaluate how effectively the Center connects residents to appropriate housing stability resources, and assess the reliability of the systems used to track and report client referrals, funds used, and outcomes achieved.
Atlanta Citizen Review Board
The Atlanta Citizen Review Board investigates and mediates cases of alleged police misconduct. Councilmembers raised questions about allegations that the office has failed to investigate cases. ACRB leadership explained that ACRB begins their own investigations after police internal affairs and criminal investigations are closed. ACRB leadership also cited delays in receiving cases from the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia Bureau of Investigation and staffing issues as reasons for slow progress. This audit will examine the process for opening an investigation and determine whether ACRB's processes are consistent with best practices.
Continuous Auditing
Continuous auditing leverages technology to test controls and to identify potential red flags in transactions as, or soon after, they occur. We will work with the Department of Finance and other stakeholders to identify high-risk transactions to develop a continuous audit program.
The Atlanta Department of Transportation was established to serve as the coordinating agency for transportation matters within the city. The department oversees the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the mobility network, with the goal of improving city roads, increasing transportation connectivity, enhancing safety initiatives, and supporting a more equitable and sustainable transportation system. Atlanta maintains approximately 1,600 centerline miles of roadways, with portions of the city’s pavement identified as being in poor or very poor condition. This audit will assess how the city evaluates pavement conditions, prioritizes roadway maintenance, and allocates resources to address infrastructure needs and support long-term street-condition goals.
APD Asset Forfeiture
The Atlanta Police Department uses asset forfeiture as a tool to deter and address criminal activity by seizing property connected to criminal offenses, including participation in the Federal Equitable Sharing Program. Because the agency responsible for seizing assets may also benefit from forfeiture proceeds, these activities pose inherent conflicts of interest and raise concerns about safeguarding assets prior to disposition. In addition, there is a risk that the city may not fully identify, claim, or receive all funds to which it is entitled. This audit will evaluate whether appropriate procedures, controls, and safeguards are in place to mitigate risks associated with asset forfeiture activities.
Law Department Outside Legal Counsel Contracting
The city attorney is authorized to engage outside counsel when, for example, the department needs specialized expertise or determines that a conflict of interest exists. These services have been exempted from regular procurement rules—the department is authorized to pay for them through direct payments that do not require a purchase order. This audit will evaluate controls and safeguards in place to ensure that payments to outside legal counsel are consistent with the Law Department's procedures and contracting best practices. It will not determine whether fraud, waste, or abuse occurred, which is the purview of the city’s Office of Inspector General.
Lien Tracking
Liens are placed on City of Atlanta properties to notify property owners that the city has an interest in the property until all debts owed are paid. The Office of Revenue is responsible for filing liens against property owners to satisfy outstanding amounts owed to the city and also collects payments on those liens. This quick response audit will assess how the city manages the lien process to improve the likelihood of cost recovery.
Housing Help Center
City Council passed Resolution 26-R-3539 requesting an audit of the Housing Help Center. The Center is the City of Atlanta’s official housing resource center, created in October 2023 to connect citizens to resources and reduce resident displacement. The audit will determine who is accessing the Housing Help Center’s referral services, evaluate how effectively the Center connects residents to appropriate housing stability resources, and assess the reliability of the systems used to track and report client referrals, funds used, and outcomes achieved.
Atlanta Citizen Review Board
The Atlanta Citizen Review Board investigates and mediates cases of alleged police misconduct. Councilmembers raised questions about allegations that the office has failed to investigate cases. ACRB leadership explained that ACRB begins their own investigations after police internal affairs and criminal investigations are closed. ACRB leadership also cited delays in receiving cases from the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia Bureau of Investigation and staffing issues as reasons for slow progress. This audit will examine the process for opening an investigation and determine whether ACRB's processes are consistent with best practices.
Continuous Auditing
Continuous auditing leverages technology to test controls and to identify potential red flags in transactions as, or soon after, they occur. We will work with the Department of Finance and other stakeholders to identify high-risk transactions to develop a continuous audit program.