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)

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


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

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.

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

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