82 FR 26116 - Solicitation of Appointment Nominations to the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 107 (June 6, 2017)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) established the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee (HCFAC) on April 14, 2015. This notice invites the public to nominate individuals to fill one vacancy representing the real estate industry for a three-year term.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26116-26117]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11706]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5858-N-07]


Solicitation of Appointment Nominations to the Housing Counseling 
Federal Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
Commissioner, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

ACTION: Notice of Solicitation of Appointment Nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 
established the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee (HCFAC) 
on April 14, 2015. This notice invites the public to nominate 
individuals to fill one vacancy representing the real estate industry 
for a three-year term.

DATES: Please submit nominations as soon as possible, but no later than 
June 21, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Nominations must be in writing and submitted via email to 
[email protected]. Individuals that do not have internet access 
may submit nominations to Marjorie George, Housing Program Technical 
Specialist, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of 
Housing Counseling, Office of Outreach and Capacity Building, 200 
Jefferson Avenue, Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38103.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marjorie George, Housing Program 
Technical Specialist, Office of Housing Counseling, U.S. Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 200 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 300, 
Memphis, TN 38103; telephone number (901) 544-4228 (this is not a toll-
free number). Persons who have difficulty hearing or speaking may 
access this number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339 (toll-free number). Individuals with 
questions may also email [email protected] and in the subject 
line write ``HCFAC application question.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background and Authority

    The Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee (HCFAC) is 
congressionally mandated to provide advice to the Office of Housing 
Counseling (OHC) (Pub. L. 111-203). The HCFAC provides the OHC valuable 
advice regarding its mission to provide individuals and families with 
the knowledge they need to obtain, sustain, and improve their housing 
through a strong national network of HUD-approved housing counseling 
agencies and HUD-certified counselors. The HCFAC, however, has no role 
in reviewing or awarding of OHC housing counseling grants and 
procurement contracts. The HCFAC is subject to the requirements of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix), 41 CFR parts 101-6 
and 102-3, and Presidential Memorandum ``Final Guidance on Appointments 
of Lobbyists to Federal Boards and Commissions,'' dated June 18, 2010, 
along with any relevant guidance published in the Federal Register or 
otherwise issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).\1\
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    \1\ See 76 FR 61756 (``Final Guidance on Appointments of 
Lobbyists to Federal Boards and Commissions''); and 79 FR 47482 
(``Revised Guidance on Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal Advisory 
Committees, Boards, and Commissions''); see also https://www.whitehouse.gov/the:press-office/presidential-memorandum-lobbyists-agency-boards-and-commissions (``Lobbyist on Agency Boards 
and Commissions'').
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    The HCFAC shall consist of not more than 12 individuals appointed 
by the Secretary. The membership will equally represent the mortgage 
industry, real estate industry, consumers, and HUD-approved housing 
counseling agencies. Each member shall be appointed in his or her 
individual capacity for a term of 3 years and may be reappointed at the 
discretion of the Secretary. Of the 12 members first appointed to the 
HCFAC in 2016, 4 were appointed for an initial term of 1 year, 4 were 
appointed for a term of 2 years, and 4 were appointed for a term of 3 
years. The initial 12 appointments were made by the Secretary on June 
1, 2016, and the one-year appointees terms will expire on May 31, 2017. 
This notice indicates the Secretary's decision to reappoint to new 
three-year terms the original appointees for consumer, mortgage, and 
housing counseling and to solicit applications to address a vacancy for 
real estate due to a withdrawal from consideration.

III. Nominations for the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee

    HUD is seeking nominations for an individual whose experience is 
representative of the real estate industry to fill one vacancy. 
Individuals may nominate themselves. Nominees must be U.S. citizens, 
and cannot be employees of the U.S. Government. All nominees will be 
serving in their ``individual capacity'' and not in a ``representative 
capacity,'' therefore, no Federally-registered lobbyists may serve on 
the HCFAC.\2\ Individual capacity, as clarified by OMB, refers to 
individuals who are appointed to committees to

[[Page 26117]]

exercise their own individual best judgment on behalf of the 
government, such as when they are designated as Special Government 
Employees as defined in 18 U.S.C. 202(a).
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    \2\ See 79 FR 47482 (``Revised Guidance on Appointment of 
Lobbyists to Federal Advisory Committees, Boards, and Commissions'') 
(clarifying that federally registered lobbyists may not serve on 
advisory committee, board, or Commission in an ``individual 
capacity.'').
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    Nominations to the HCFAC must be submitted via a form available on 
the Office of Housing Counseling's Web site federal advisory page at: 
https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/housing-counseling/federal-advisory-committee/. Each nominee will be required to include the 
following information:
     Name, title, and organization of the nominee and a 
description of how the applicant is representative of the real estate 
industry;
     Nominee's mailing address, email address, and telephone 
number;
     A statement summarizing the nominee's qualifications 
(including unique experiences, skills and knowledge the individual will 
bring to the HCFAC) and reasons why the nominee should be appointed to 
the HCFAC;
     A statement confirming that the nominee is not a 
registered federal lobbyist; and
     A statement agreeing to submit to any pre-appointment 
screenings HUD might require of Special Government Employees, as 
defined in 18 U.S.C. 202.
    Nominations should be submitted via email to 
[email protected]. Individuals that do not have internet access 
may submit nominations to Marjorie George, Housing Program Technical 
Specialist, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of 
Housing Counseling, Office of Outreach and Capacity Building, 200 
Jefferson Avenue, Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38103. All Nominations must be 
received no later than June 21, 2017.
    HCFAC members will be required to adhere to the conflict of 
interest rules applicable to Special Government Employees as such 
employees are defined in 18 U.S.C. 202(a). The rules include relevant 
provisions in Title 18 of the U.S. Code related to criminal activity, 
Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 
CFR part 2635) and Executive Order 12674 (as modified by Executive 
Order 12731). Therefore, applicants will be required to submit to pre-
appointment screenings relating to identity of interest and financial 
interests that HUD might require as shown above. If selected, HCFAC 
members will also be asked to complete form OGE Form 450 (Confidential 
Financial Disclosure Report).
    Members of the HCFAC shall serve without pay but shall receive 
travel expenses including per diem in lieu of subsistence as authorized 
by 5 U.S.C. 5703. Regular attendance is essential to the effective 
operation of the HCFAC.
    Please note this Notice is not intended to be the exclusive method 
by which HUD will solicit nominations and expressions of interest to 
identify qualified candidates; however, all candidates for membership 
on the HCFAC will be subject to the same evaluation criteria.

III. Selection and Meetings

    After all nominations, have been reviewed, HUD will publish a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing the appointment of the HCFAC 
member. Member selection will be made by the Secretary and will be 
based on the candidate's qualifications to contribute to the 
accomplishment of the HCFAC's objectives. HCFAC selection will be made 
based on factors such as expertise and diversity of viewpoints that are 
necessary to effectively address the matters before the HCFAC. 
Membership on the HCFAC is personal to the appointee and HCFAC members 
serve at the discretion of the Secretary.
    The estimated number of meetings anticipated within a fiscal year 
is two. Additional meetings may be held as needed to render advice to 
the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Housing Counseling. 
All meetings will be announced by notice in the Federal Register. The 
meetings may use electronic communication technologies for attendance.

    Dated: May 31, 2017.
Genger Charles,
General Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Housing.
[FR Doc. 2017-11706 Filed 6-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P