[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 137 (Monday, July 19, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 38624-38625] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-18264] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Census Bureau Quarterly Survey of Residential Alterations and Repairs
Action
Proposed collection; Comment request.
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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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
Dates
Written comments must be submitted on or before September 17, 1999.
Addresses
Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 5033, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
For Further Information Contact
Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to George A. Roff, Jr., U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2126 Building 4, Washington, DC 20233-6916 on (301) 457-1605.
Supplementary Information
I. Abstract
The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program commitment during nondecennial census years. The Census Bureau, under the authority of Title 13, United States Code, Section 182, conducts this survey which allows us to prepare estimates of the expenditures for residential improvement and repairs. This segment of the construction industry amounted to over $120 billion in 1998. A portion of these data are collected on form SORAR-705, which is mailed quarterly to owners of rental or vacant residential properties. Since residential improvement and repairs are a large and growing economic activity, any measure of the construction industry is incomplete without inclusion of these data. The Census Bureau uses the information to publish improvement and repair expenditures for rental or vacant properties. Data on improvement and repairs to owner-occupied properties are collected in the Consumer Expenditures Survey. Combined published estimates are used by a variety of private businesses and trade associations for marketing studies, economic forecasts and assessments of the construction industry. They also provide all levels of government with a tool to evaluate economic policy and measure progress towards established goals. For example, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) uses the improvement statistics to develop the structures component of gross private domestic investment in the national income and product accounts.
II. Method of Collection
The universe for this survey are the owners or designated representatives of the more than 40 million rental and vacant units in the United States. A sample of these owners--i.e., those identified in the Consumer Expenditures Survey--is mailed a questionnaire to report detailed improvement and repair expenditures for their entire property. Approximately 2,800 owners are queried each quarter. The sample design uses a rotation procedure which brings one-fourth of the sample (approximately 700 properties) into the survey each quarter and takes one-fourth out of the survey each quarter. The data collected are adjusted for unreturned or unusable forms by region and metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status. The weights are adjusted so that sample counts of renter occupied and vacant housing units agree with independently derived controls from the Current Population Survey.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0607-0130. Form Number: SORAR-705. Type of Review: Regular Review. Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Businesses or Other For-Profit Organizations, and State, Local or Tribal Governments. Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,800 per quarter. Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,800. Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondents is that of their time. Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary. Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 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 (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.
Dated: July 12, 1999. Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 99-18264 Filed 7-16-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-07-P