An internal city audit dropped on April 9 is putting serious heat on Indianapolis’ Office of Public Health and Safety, detailing what it calls “major breakdowns” in basic financial controls. Auditors found missing invoices, flimsy contract oversight and potential conflicts of interest, and say there is an “immediate need” for agency-wide training and tighter rules, even as the office oversees homelessness shelters, food aid and violence-reduction programs that thousands of residents depend on.
Audit: Most contracts were missing key paperwork
In a report from the Office of Audit and Performance, reviewers looked at OPHS operations from Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2024, with some activities reviewed into 2025. They found that 84% of the contracts tested had missing, incomplete or inadequate invoice documentation, and 51% did not have the required program reports. The audit also notes that OPHS’s operating budget jumped roughly 75%, from about $19.3 million in 2020 to nearly $33.8 million in 2026, a growth curve auditors say left the office’s policies and infrastructure struggling…..