E7-24982. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Questionnaire for Building Permit Official

AGENCY:

U.S. Census Bureau.

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 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES:

To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on or before February 25, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

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, MCD, CENHQ Room 7K181, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone [phone] (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The U.S. Census Bureau plans to request a revision of the current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the Questionnaire for Building Permit Official (SOC-QBPO). The Census Bureau uses the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic questionnaire SOC-QBPO to collect information from state and local building permit officials on: (1) The types of permits they issue, (2) the length of time a permit is valid, (3) how they store permits, and (4) the geographic coverage of the permit system. This information is needed to carry out the sampling for the Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions (OMB number 0607-0110), also known as Survey of Construction (SOC). The SOC provides widely used measures of construction activity, including the economic indicators Housing Starts, Housing Completions, and New Housing Sales.

The current clearance for this survey is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009. Census is rewriting the CAPI questionnaire software and requesting approval to begin using the revised questionnaire in the field in the summer of 2008. The revised questionnaire will include some additional information about how permits are issued that will improve the sampling for the Survey of Construction. Other information which is no longer needed will be eliminated from the questionnaire. The overall length of the interview will not change. The sample size also will not change.

II. Method of Collection

The Census Bureau uses its field representatives to obtain information on the operating procedures of a permit office. The field representative visits the permit office, conducts the interview, and completes the electronic form.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0607-0125.

Form Number: SOC-QBPO.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: State or Local Government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 900.

Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 225.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Legal Authority: Title 13, U.S.C., 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: December 19, 2007.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.