82 FR 44212 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Housing Counseling Program-Application for Approval as a Housing Counseling Agency

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 182 (September 21, 2017)

HUD submitted the proposed information collection requirement described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 30 days of public comment.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 182 (Thursday, September 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44212-44213]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20152]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5997-N-57]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Housing 
Counseling Program--Application for Approval as a Housing Counseling 
Agency

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: HUD submitted the proposed information collection requirement 
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The purpose of 
this notice is to allow for 30 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: October 23, 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: 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: Inez C. Downs, Reports Management 
Officer, QMAC, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email [email protected], or 
telephone 202-402-8046. This is not a toll-free number. Person 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. Downs.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is 
seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in 
Section A.
    The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the 
information collection for a period of 60 days was published on July 
14, 2017 at 82 FR 32568.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: Housing Counseling Program--
Application for Approval as a Housing Counseling Agency.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0573.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Form Number: HUD-9900.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
Office of Housing Counseling is responsible for administration of the 
Department's Housing Counseling Program, authorized by Section 106 of 
the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. The Housing 
Counseling Program supports the delivery of a wide variety of housing 
counseling services to homebuyers, homeowners, low- to moderate-income 
renters, and the homeless. The primary objective of the program is to 
educate families and individuals in order to help them make smart 
decisions regarding improving their housing situation and meeting the 
responsibilities of tenancy and homeownership, including through budget 
and financial counseling. Counselors also help borrowers avoid 
predatory lending practices, such as inflated appraisals, unreasonably 
high interest rates, unaffordable repayment terms, and other conditions 
that can result in a loss of equity, increased debt, default, and 
possible foreclosure. Counselors may also provide reverse mortgage 
counseling to elderly homeowners who seek to convert equity in their 
homes to pay for home improvements, medical costs, living expenses or 
other expenses. Additionally, housing counselors may distribute and be 
a resource for information concerning Fair Housing and Fair Lending. 
The Housing Counseling Program is instrumental to achievement of HUD's 
mission. The Program's far-reaching effects support numerous 
departmental programs, including Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 
single family housing programs.
    Approximately 1,900 HUD-participating agencies provide housing 
counseling services nation-wide currently. Of these, approximately 920 
have been directly approved by HUD. HUD maintains a list of these 
agencies so that individuals in need of assistance can easily access 
the nearest HUD-approved housing counseling agency via HUD's Web site, 
an automated 1-800 Hotline, or a smart phone application. HUD Form 
9900, Application for Approval as a Housing Counseling Agency, is 
necessary to make sure that people who contact a HUD approved agency 
can have confidence they will receive quality service and these 
agencies meet HUD requirements for approval.
    To participate in HUD's Housing Counseling Program, a housing 
counseling agency must first be approved by HUD. Approval entails 
meeting various requirements relating to experience and capacity, 
including nonprofit status, a minimum of one year of housing counseling 
experience in the target community, and sufficient resources to 
implement a housing counseling plan. Eligible organizations include 
local housing counseling agencies, private or public organizations 
(including grassroots, faith-based and other community-based 
organizations) such as nonprofit, state, or public housing authorities 
that meet the Program criteria. HUD uses form HUD-9900 to evaluate 
whether applying organizations meet minimum requirements to participate 
in the Housing Counseling Program. The instruction on how to become a 
HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency is found at https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/housing-counseling/agency-application/. 
HUD is seeking a revision for the Application for Approval as a Housing 
Counseling Agency, form HUD-9900. There have been no changes in program 
eligibility requirements. The form will be updated to reflect a 
streamlined, fillable PDF interactive version and will continue to 
require electronic submission of applications through email in place of 
paper submissions.
    Respondents (i.e. affected public): Not for profit institution.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 800.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 800.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Hours per Response: 8.
    Total Estimated Burden: 6,400.

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

    This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected parties concerning the collection of

[[Page 44213]]

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: September 15, 2017.
Inez C. Downs,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-20152 Filed 9-20-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P