HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.
![handle is hein.gao/gaobabkom0001 and id is 1 raw text is: RE lCT ED - N ot to ]be released outside the General
Accounting Office except On the basis of specific approval
byth Ofice of Ce e-c e ~al -o~a ns a recor~d of u.'hi '
SetogPublications Branchy OAS
OF THE UNIrED STATES
WAGHENGTON, D.C. XouaAI ....M..
RELEASED
JAN 3 11974
B- 177486
The Honorable William D. Fords Chairman
Subcommittee on Agricultural Labor
Committee on Education and Labor
House of Representatives
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Your letter of May 3, 1973p requested that we investigate and
report on allegations made by the Florida Rural Legal Services,
Incorporated, and the American Friends Service Committee, Incorporated,
concerning admni-aon of£theFa-m---Labor--Housing- Progra, iin Palm
Beach C gt, F.orida,o, bythe Department of Agriculture's Farmers
HoqeAm3 ,o- (X The allegations, which involved one of
two fqr a iarrolts provided by the Rangeline Labor
Foundation, Incorporated, and financed with FHA-insured loans, were
as follows.
--FHA attempted to cover up the possible loss of hundreds
of thousands of dollars, due to poor FHA administration,
by negotiating to transfer the project to the Palm Beach
County Housing Authority (PBCHA).
--Rangeline skimmed rental profits without adequately
maintaining the labor housing project.
--FHA permitted nonfarmworkers to occupy housing provided
under the Farm Labor Housing Program although only
farmworkers are eligible tenants.
--Farm labor housing funds were used to increase labor
contractors' control over farmworkers; specifically,
one or more apartments were leased (block leasing) to
labor contractors, contrary to FHA regulations.
In summary, we found no evidence that FHA's proposed transfer of
the Rangeline project to PBCHA was an attempt to cover up possible
losses. BorhRangeline prpj~ets were Poorly maintained under the
original owners, and the lack or condition of the Rangeline records
was such that we could not verify the reported income and expenses.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobabkom0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)