81 FR 27466 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment on the Family Self-Sufficiency Program Demonstration

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 88 (May 6, 2016)

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27466-27467]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10642]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5915-N-03]


 Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment on 
the Family Self-Sufficiency Program Demonstration

AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department 
is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES: Comments Due Date: July 5, 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: HUD Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503; fax: 202-395-5806. Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management 
Officer, QDAM, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 
7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410. Email Colette Pollard at 
[email protected] or telephone, 202-402-3400. Persons with 
hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by 
calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339. This is 
not a toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB 
may be obtained by Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department will submit the proposed 
information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended). This notice 
is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected agencies 
concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) Evaluate 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including if the 
information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of 
the agency's estimate of the burden of proposed collection of 
information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) 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.
    This notice also lists the following information:
    Title of Proposal: Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program 
Demonstration.
    Description of the need for information and proposed use: The 
Department is conducting this study under contract with MDRC and its 
subcontractors (Branch Associates and M. Davis and Company, Inc.). The 
project is an evaluation of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program 
operated at Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the United States. 
The study will use random-assignment methods to evaluate the 
effectiveness of the program. FSS has operated since 1992 and serves 
voucher holders and residents of public housing. The FSS model is 
essentially a five-year program, and includes case management plus an 
escrow account. FSS case managers create a plan with families to 
achieve goals and connect with services that will enhance their 
employment opportunities. Families accrue money in their escrow 
accounts as they increase their earnings. To date, HUD has funded two 
other studies of the FSS program, but neither can indicate how well 
families would have done in the absence of the program. A random 
assignment model is needed because participant self-selection into 
Family Self Sufficiency program limits the ability to know whether 
program features rather than the characteristics of the participating 
families caused tenant income gains. Random assignment will limit the 
extent to which selection bias is driving observed results. The 
demonstration will document the progress of a group of FSS participants 
from initial enrollment to program completion (or exit). The intent is 
to gain a deeper understanding of the program and illustrate strategies 
that assist participants to obtain greater economic independence. While 
the main objective of FSS is stable, suitable employment, there are 
many interim outcomes of interest, including: Getting a first job; 
getting a higher paying job; self-employment/small business ownership; 
no longer needing benefits provided under one or more welfare programs; 
obtaining additional education, whether in the form of a high school 
diploma, higher education degree, or vocational training; buying a 
home; buying a car; setting up savings accounts; or accomplishing 
similar goals that lead to economic independence.
    Data collection will include the families that are part of the 
treatment and control groups. Data will be gathered through surveys.
    Members of the affected public:

[[Page 27467]]



 
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Families receiving subsidized housing and enrolled in the FSS      1,281
 program (treatment group)...................................
Families receiving subsidized housing and not enrolled in the      1,270
 FSS program (control group).................................
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    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response:

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                                                           Number
              Instrument                  Number of     responses per   Average burden/response    Total burden
                                         respondents     respondent           (in hours)              hours
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36-Month Survey......................           2,551               1  45 minutes (.75)........           1,913
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    Total............................  ..............  ..............  ........................           1,913
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    Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB 
approval.

    Authority:  Title 13 U.S.C. 9(a), and title 12, U.S.C., section 
1701z-1 et seq.

    Dated: April 21, 2016.
Katherine M. O'Regan,
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 2016-10642 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P