81 FR 17487 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public Housing Reform Act: Changes to Admission and Occupancy Requirements

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 60 (March 29, 2016)

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17487-17488]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07067]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5916-N-07]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public Housing 
Reform Act: Changes to Admission and Occupancy Requirements

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, PIH, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment 
from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. 
The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: May 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Reports 
Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
451 7th Street SW., Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone 
202-402-3400 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at 
[email protected] for a copy of the proposed forms or other 
available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may 
access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlette Mussington, Office of Policy, 
Programs and Legislative Initiatives, PIH, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., (L'Enfant Plaza, Room 2206), 
Washington, DC 20410; telephone 202-402-4109, (this is not a toll-free 
number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this 
number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be 
obtained from Ms. Mussington.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is 
seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in 
Section A.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: Public Housing Reform Act: Changes 
to Admission and Occupancy Requirements.
    OMB Approval Number: 2577-0230.
    Type of Request: Revision of currently approved collection.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use:
    The purpose of this information collection submission is to 
implement the requirement that public housing agencies have available 
upon request, their respective admission and

[[Page 17488]]

occupancy policies for both the public and the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development. Public housing authorities must have on hand and 
available for inspection policies related to admission and continued 
occupancy, so as to respond to inquiries from tenants, legal-aid 
services, HUD, and other interested parties informally or through the 
Freedom of Information Act. Written documentation of policies relating 
to public housing and Section 8 assistance programs implemented under 
the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998, such as 
eligibility for admission and continued occupancy, local preferences, 
and rent determination, must be maintained and made available by public 
housing authorities.
    The collection of information implements changes to the admission 
and occupancy requirements for the public housing and Section 8 
assisted housing programs made by the Quality Housing and Work 
Responsibility (QHWRA) Act 1998, (Title V of the FY 1999 HUD 
appropriations Act, Public Law 105-276, 112 Stat. 2518, approved 
October 21, 1998), which amended the United States Housing Act of 1937. 
QHWRA made comprehensive changes to HUD's public housing, Section 8 
programs. Some of the changes made by the 1998 Act (i.e., QHWRA) affect 
public housing only and others affect the Section 8 and public housing 
programs. These changes cover choice of rent, community service and 
self-sufficiency in public housing; and admission preferences and 
determination of income and rent in public housing and Section 8 
housing assistance programs.
    Revisions are made to this collection to reflect adjustments in 
calculations based on the total number of current, active public 
housing agencies (PHAs) to date. The number of active public housing 
agencies has changed from 4,058 to 3,946 since the last approved 
information collection. The number of PHAs can fluctuate due to a 
number of factors, including but not limited to the merging of two or 
more PHAs or the termination of the public housing and/or voucher 
programs.
    Respondents (i.e. affected public): State, Local or Tribal 
Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,946.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 3,946.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Estimated Burdens: 94,704.

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

    This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected parties concerning the collection of information described in 
Section A on the following:
    (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
    HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to 
these questions.

     Authority:  Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

    Dated: March 22, 2016.
Merrie Nichols-Dixon,
 Deputy Director, Office of Policy, Programs and Legislative 
Initiatives.
[FR Doc. 2016-07067 Filed 3-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P