82 FR 22015 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 90 (May 11, 2017)

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 82, Number 90 (Thursday, May 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22015-22016]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09507]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-6001-N-08]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Section 8 
Renewal Policy Guide

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: July 10, 2017.

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: Katherine Nzive, Director, Program 
Administration Division, Office of Asset Management and Portfolio 
Oversight, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Katherine Nzive at Katherine A. 
[email protected] or telephone 202.402.3440. This is not a toll-free 
number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this 
number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339.
    Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from 
Ms. Pollard.

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: Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0587.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection
    Form Numbers:

Contract Renewal Request Form (HUD-9624)
OCAF Rent Adjustment Worksheet (HUD-9625)
Letters to Owner-Agents (Options 1 and 3) (Auto OCAF Letters) (HUD-
9626)
Letters to Owner-Agents (Options 2 and 4) (Auto OCAF Letters) (HUD-
9627)
Request to Renew Using Non-Section 8 Units in the Section 8 Project as 
a Market Rent Ceiling (HUD-9629)
Request to Renew Using FMR's as Market Ceiling (HUD-9630)
One Year Notification Owner Does Not Intend To Renew (HUD-9631)
One Year Notification Letter Owner Intends To Renew (HUD-9632)
Use Agreement (HUD-9634)
Projects Preparing a Budget-Based Rent Increase (HUD-9635)
Basic Renewal Contract--One Year Term (HUD-9636)
Basic Renewal Contract--Multi-Year Term (HUD-9637)
Renewal Contract for Mark-Up-To-Market Project (HUD-9640)
Housing Assistance Payments Preservation Renewal Contract (HUD-9639)
Interim (Full) Mark-To-Market Renewal Contract (HUD-9640)
Interim (Lite) Mark-To-Market Renewal Contract (HUD-9641)
Full Mark-To-Market Renewal Contract (HUD-9642)
Watch List Renewal Contract (HUD-9643)
Project Based Assistance Payments Amendment Contract Moderate 
Rehabilitation (HUD-9644)
Project Based Section Housing Assistance Payments Extension of Renewal 
Contract (HUD-9646)
Consent to Assignment of HAP Contract as Security for Freddie Mac 
Financing (HUD-9648A)
Consent to Assignment of HAP Contract as Security for FNMA Credit 
Enhancement (HUD-9648D)
Consent to Assignment of HAP Contract as Security for Financing (HUD-
9649)
Consent to Assignment of HAP Contract as Security for FNMA Financing 
(HUD-9651)
Addendum to Renewal Contract under Option One or Option Two for Capital 
Repairs and/or Acquisition Costs (HUD-93181)
Addendum to Renewal Contract under Option One or Option Two for Capital 
Repairs and/or Acquisition--Post- Rehabilitation Rents at Closing (HUD-
93182)
Rider to Original Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Contract (HUD-
93184)

    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
modifications of the Section 8 renewal policy and recent legislation 
are implemented to address the essential requirement to preserving low 
income rental housing affordability and availability. The Section 8 
Renewal Policy Guide will include recent legislation modifications for 
renewing of expiring Section 8 policy(ies) Guidebook, as authorized by 
the 24 CFR part 401 and 24 CFR part 402. The Multifamily Housing Reform 
and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRA) for fiscal year 1998 (Pub. L. 
105-65, enacted on October 27, 1997), required that expiring Section 8 
project-based assistance contracts be renewed under MAHRA. Established 
in the MAHRA policies renewal of Section 8 project-based contracts rent 
are based on market rents instead of the Fair Market Rent (FMR) 
standard.
    MAHRA renewals submission should include a Rent Comparability Study 
(RCS). If the RCS indicated rents were at or below comparable market 
rents, the contract was renewed at current rents adjusted by Operating 
Cost Adjustment Factor (OCAF), unless the Owner submitted documentation 
justifying a budget-based rent increase or participation in Mark-Up-To-
Market. The case is that no renewal rents could exceed comparable 
market rents. If the RCS indicated rents were above comparable market 
rents, the contract was referred to the Office of Affordable Housing 
Preservation (OAHP) for debt restructuring and/or rent reduction.
    The Preserving Affordable Housing for Senior Citizens and Families 
Into the 21st Century Act of 1999 (public law 106-74, enacted on 
October 20, 1999), modified MAHRA.
    The Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide sets forth six renewal options 
from which a project owner may choose when renewing their expiring 
Section 8 contract: Option One--Mark-Up-To-Market, Option Two--Other 
Contract Renewal with Current Rents at or Below Comparable Market 
Rents, Option Three--Referral to the Office of Affordable Preservation 
(OAHP), Option

[[Page 22016]]

Four- Renewal of Projects Exempted From OMHAR, Option Five--Renewal of 
Portfolio Reengineering Demonstration or Preservation Projects, and 
Option Six--Opt Outs. Owners should select one of six options which are 
applicable to their project and should submit contract renewal on an 
annual basis to renew contract.
    The Section 8 Renewal Guide sets forth six renewal options from 
which a project owner may choose when renewing their expiring Section 8 
contracts.
    Option One (Mark-Up-To-Market)
    Option Two (Other Contract Renewals with Current Rents at or Below 
Comparable Market Rents Option Three (Referral to the Office of 
Multifamily Housing Assistant Restructuring--OHAP) Option Four (Renewal 
of Projects Exempted from OHAP)
    Option Five (Renewal of Portfolio Reengineering Demonstration or 
Preservation Projects)
    Option Six (Opt-Outs)
    Respondents: Business or other for profit and non profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25,439.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 25,439.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
    Total Estimated Burden: 24,680.

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: May 4, 2017.
Genger Charles,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing.
[FR Doc. 2017-09507 Filed 5-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P