In a June 1,2026 report titled “Rural Housing: Weaknesses in Data Quality and Use Limit HUD’s Ability to Assess Effectiveness of Service Coordinators,” the Government Accountability Office (GAO) described critical shortcomings in federal Service Coordinator program administration and data assessment, especially in rural areas.

Service Coordinators are nonclinical staff who support older adults in affordable housing as they age independently. Throughout the report, GAO’s researchers describe data integrity issues at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including “weaknesses in the quality and use of HUD’s data for the multifamily housing program.”

Specifically, the GAO report found that HUD does not have uniform data entry procedures, meaning that HUD can’t accurately determine how many properties have Service Coordinators and whether they comply with program requirements. The report also found that HUD does not routinely analyze performance reports that it requires Service Coordinators at multifamily properties to prepare, meaning that the agency cannot demonstrate program effectiveness despite having access to the data.

LeadingAge has long urged HUD to improve Service Coordinator program administration, including by better utilizing the data it collects. LeadingAge was interviewed by GAO as part of the research process from 2024 to 2026.

Read the report here.