E8-2677. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; HOPE VI Public Housing Programs: Funding and Program Data Collection

AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: April 14, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name/or OMB Control number and should be sent to: Lillian L. Deitzer, Departmental Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone [phone] (this is not a toll-free number) or e-mail Ms. Deitzer at [e-mail] for a copy of the proposed form and other available information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Schulhof, Office of Policy, Programs and Legislative Initiatives, PIH, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington DC 20410, telephone [phone], (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department will submit the proposed information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended).

This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) Evaluate 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) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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.

This Notice also lists the following information:

Title of Proposal: HOPE VI program.

OMB Control Number: 2577-0208.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Section 24 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as added by section 535 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved October 21, 1998) and revised by the HOPE VI Program Reauthorization and Small Community Main Street Rejuvenation and Housing Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-186, 117 Stat. 2685, approved December 16, 2003), establishes the HOPE VI program for the purpose of making assistance available on a competitive basis to public housing agencies (PHAs) in improving the living environment for public housing residents of severely distressed public housing projects through the demolition, rehabilitation, reconfiguration, or replacement of severely distressed public housing projects (or portions thereof); in revitalizing areas in which public housing sites are located, and contributing to the improvement of the surrounding community; in providing housing that avoids or decreases the concentration of very low-income families; and in building sustainable communities. In addition, the HOPE VI Program Reauthorization and Small Community Main Street Rejuvenation and Housing Act of 2003 added to the HOPE VI program the purpose of making assistance available on a competitive basis to small units of local government to develop affordable housing as part of Main Street rejuvenation projects. The program authorization was renewed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. L. 110-161, approved December 26, 2007), which extends the program until September 30, 2008. Under this requirement, the Department only has a few months to award and obligate the 2008 funds or they will be returned to the Treasury.

These information collections are required in connection with the annual publication in the Federal Register of Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs), contingent upon available funding and authorization, which announce the availability of funds provided in annual appropriations for HOPE VI Revitalization, Demolition grants, and HOPE VI Main Street grants.

Eligible public housing agencies (PHAs) (for HOPE VI Revitalization and Demolition) and eligible local units of government (for HOPE VI Main Street) interested in obtaining HOPE VI grants are required to submit applications to HUD, as explained in each program NOFA. The information collection conducted in the applications enables HUD to conduct a comprehensive, merit-based selection process in order to identify and select the applications to receive funding. With the use of HUD-prescribed forms, the information collection provides HUD with sufficient information to approve or disapprove applications.

Applicants that are awarded HOPE VI grants are required to report on a quarterly basis on the sources and uses of all amounts expended for revitalization, demolition, or Main Street activities. HOPE VI Revitalization grantees use a fully-automated, Internet-based process for the submission of quarterly reporting information. HUD reviews and evaluates the collected information and uses it as a primary tool with which to monitor the status of HOPE VI Revitalization projects and the HOPE VI Revitalization program.

Agency form numbers: HUD-52774, HUD-52780, HUD 52785, HUD-52787, HUD-52798, HUD-52790, HUD-52797, HUD-52799, HUD-52800, HUD-52825-A, HUD-52860-A, HUD-52861, HUD-53001-A, SF-424, SF-LLL, HUD-27061, HUD 27300, HUD 2880, HUD 96010, and HUD 96011.

Members of affected public: Public Housing Agencies.

Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the information collection including number of respondents, frequency of response, and hours of response:

For HOPE VI Revitalization Application: 30 respondents, once annually, 192 hours average per response results in a total annual reporting burden of 5,795.10 hours.

For HOPE VI Demolition Applications: 34 respondents, once annually, 40.25 hours average per response results in a total annual reporting burden of 1,408.28 hours.

For HOPE VI Main Street Applications: 15 respondents, once annually, 45 hours average per response results in a total annual reporting burden of 692.55 hours.

For HOPE VI Revitalization Quarterly Reporting: 207 respondents, 4 times annually, 20 hours average per response results in a total annual reporting burden of 16,560 hours.

Grand total: These information collections, along with other Non-NOFA information collection items required in connection with the HOPE VI program including budget updates, supportive services and relocation plans, and cost certificates result in an annual total reporting burden of 26,262.93 hours.

Status of the proposed information collection: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection.

Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

Dated: February 7, 2008.

Bessy M. Kong,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Program, and Legislative Initiatives.