82 FR 43935 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 181 (September 20, 2017)

Page Range		43935-43936
FR Document		2017-20037

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 181 (Wednesday, September 20, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43935-43936]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20037]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before November 20, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Erica Filipek, U.S. Census Bureau, EID, CENHQ 
Room 7K057, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone 
(301)763-5161 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Census Bureau plans to request a three-year extension of 
the current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the 
Survey of Housing Starts, Sales and Completions, also known as the 
Survey of Construction (SOC). We also plan revisions to the current 
collection. The SOC collects monthly data on new residential 
construction from a sample of owners or builders. The Census Bureau 
uses the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic 
questionnaires SOC-QI/SF.1 and SOC-QI/MF.1 to collect data on start and 
completion dates of construction, physical characteristics of the 
structure (floor area, number of bathrooms, type of heating system, 
etc.), and if applicable, date of sale, sales price, and type of 
financing. The SOC provides widely used measures of construction 
activity, including the economic indicators Housing Starts and Housing 
Completions, which are from the New Residential Construction series, 
and New Residential Sales.
    After working with the survey sponsor and key data users, the 
Census Bureau has decided to add one new data item to the single-family 
questionnaire regarding ceiling height.
    With respect to survey burden, the Census Bureau samples about 
1,620 new buildings each month (19,440 per year). Census Bureau staff 
inquire about the progress of each building multiple times until it is 
completed (and a sales contract is signed, if it is a single-family 
house that is built for sale). For single-family buildings, there are 
an average of 8.11 interviews and for multifamily buildings, an average 
of 7.0 interviews. The total number of interviews conducted each year 
for single-family buildings is about 102,186 and for multifamily 
buildings is about 47,880. Each interview takes 5 minutes on average. 
Therefore, the total annual burden is 12,506 hours.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau uses its field representatives to collect the 
data through CAPI.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0110.
    Form Number(s): SOC-QI/SF.1 and SOC-QI/MF.1.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, business or other for-
profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 19,440.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 12,506.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 131 and 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden

[[Page 43936]]

(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-20037 Filed 9-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 20, 2017 / Notices 43935

characterize the impacts of this they also will become a matter of public QI/MF.1 to collect data on start and
collaboration on agency operations and record. completion dates of construction,
the public trust. physical characteristics of the structure
Sheleen Dumas,
Documented operational Lessons (floor area, number of bathrooms, type
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief of heating system, etc.), and if
Learned from the entirety of the project
Information Officer.
and recommendations for next steps applicable, date of sale, sales price, and
[FR Doc. 2017–20036 Filed 9–19–17; 8:45 am]
will accompany the report. The outcome type of financing. The SOC provides
BILLING CODE 3510–07–P widely used measures of construction
of this pilot study will provide the
Census Bureau and the USPS with activity, including the economic
baseline descriptive and qualitative indicators Housing Starts and Housing
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
information that can be used to inform Completions, which are from the New
future field-based collaborations. Census Bureau Residential Construction series, and
New Residential Sales.
II. Method of Collection After working with the survey
Proposed Information Collection;
Census Bureau staff will train Postal Comment Request; Survey of Housing sponsor and key data users, the Census
Carriers to successfully conduct Starts, Sales, and Completions Bureau has decided to add one new data
enumeration to complete the activity. item to the single-family questionnaire
Postal Carriers will be sworn to uphold AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, regarding ceiling height.
the same confidentiality as Census Commerce. With respect to survey burden, the
Bureau employees. They will perform ACTION: Notice. Census Bureau samples about 1,620 new
enumeration functions using the same buildings each month (19,440 per year).
SUMMARY: The Department of Census Bureau staff inquire about the
procedures and automation as other
Commerce, as part of its continuing progress of each building multiple times
enumerators during the hours of 5 p.m.–
effort to reduce paperwork and until it is completed (and a sales
8 p.m. on weekdays, variable weekend
respondent burden, invites the general contract is signed, if it is a single-family
hours, and both inside and outside the
public and other Federal agencies to house that is built for sale). For single-
geographic constraints of their assigned
take this opportunity to comment on family buildings, there are an average of
routes.
proposed and/or continuing information 8.11 interviews and for multifamily
III. Data collections, as required by the buildings, an average of 7.0 interviews.
OMB Control Number: 0607–XXXX. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, The total number of interviews
Form Number(s): DH–16(LN), DH– Public Law 104–13. conducted each year for single-family
16(LN)(E/S). DATES: To ensure consideration, written buildings is about 102,186 and for
Type of Review: Regular submission. comments must be submitted on or multifamily buildings is about 47,880.
Affected Public: 31,479. before November 20, 2017. Each interview takes 5 minutes on
Estimated Number of Respondents: ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments average. Therefore, the total annual
24,889. to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental burden is 12,506 hours.
Estimated Time per Response: 10 Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616, II. Method of Collection
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., The Census Bureau uses its field
Hours: 4,148. Washington, DC 20230 (or via the representatives to collect the data
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Internet at PRAcomments@doc.gov). through CAPI.
Public: $199,080. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: III. Data
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection OMB Control Number: 0607–0110.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 23, Form Number(s): SOC–QI/SF.1 and
141, 193. instrument(s) and instructions should
be directed to Erica Filipek, U.S. Census SOC–QI/MF.1.
IV. Request for Comments Bureau, EID, CENHQ Room 7K057, 4600 Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Individuals or
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC
households, business or other for-profit.
the proposed collection of information 20233, telephone (301)763–5161 (or via
Estimated Number of Respondents:
is necessary for the proper performance the Internet at Erica.Mary.Filipek@
19,440.
of the functions of the agency, including census.gov).
Estimated Time per Response: 5
whether the information shall have SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION minutes.
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Estimated Total Annual Burden
agency’s estimate of the burden I. Abstract
Hours: 12,506.
(including hours and cost) of the The U.S. Census Bureau plans to Estimated Total Annual Cost to
proposed collection of information; (c) request a three-year extension of the Public: $0.
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and current Office of Management and Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
clarity of the information to be Budget (OMB) clearance of the Survey Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 131
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the of Housing Starts, Sales and and 182.
burden of the collection of information Completions, also known as the Survey
on respondents, including through the of Construction (SOC). We also plan IV. Request for Comments
sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES

use of automated collection techniques revisions to the current collection. The Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
or other forms of information SOC collects monthly data on new the proposed collection of information
technology. residential construction from a sample is necessary for the proper performance
Comments submitted in response to of owners or builders. The Census of the functions of the agency, including
this notice will be summarized and/or Bureau uses the Computer-Assisted whether the information shall have
included in the request for OMB Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
approval of this information collection; questionnaires SOC–QI/SF.1 and SOC– agency’s estimate of the burden

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Document Created: 2018-10-24 14:23:49
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 14:23:49

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on or before November 20, 2017.
Contact		Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to Erica Filipek, U.S. Census Bureau, EID, CENHQ Room 7K057, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone (301)763-5161 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).
FR Citation		82 FR 43935

82 FR 43935 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCECensus Bureau

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 181 (September 20, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau