(RECAP: A $353 million effort to help federal officials better manage public housing assistance instead “created further opportunity for fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” according to a government watchdog. Created in 2007, HUD’s Public Housing Operating Fund was meant to help public housing projects manage their assets more effectively, according to HUD’s inspector general. The program was also intended to reduce HUD’s centralized monitoring by delegating more oversight responsibilities to regional housing authorities. Yet, the approach “has been detrimental to HUD’s program and overall mission,” the inspector general said.)