2021-04818. 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Appeals; PHAS Unaudited Financial Statement Submission Extensions; Assisted and Insured Housing Property Inspection Technical Reviews and Database ...

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: May 10, 2021.

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: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone [phone] (this is not a toll-free number) or email at [e-mail] for a copy of the proposed forms or other available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service at [phone] (this is a toll-free number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dacia Rogers, 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). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service at [phone] (this is a toll-free number). Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Rogers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) Appeals; Public Housing and Multifamily Housing Technical Reviews and Database Adjustments; Assisted and Insured Housing property inspection Technical Reviews and Database Adjustments.

OMB Approval Number: 2577-0257.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Form Number: HUD-52306.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The collection of this information supports HUD's ongoing mission to provide safe, decent, and habitable housing to low income households. To ensure HUD's subsidized housing meets this criteria accurate data and information collection is required to provide an assessment reflective of the property's condition. Poorly performing PHAs may be subject to additional reporting requirements, may receive HUD assistance, and are subject to possible penalties. For the Office of Housing, accurate scores are vital to their monitoring and compliance efforts. Unacceptable property scores result in automatic penalties and referral for enforcement actions.

Pursuant to § 6(j)(2)(A)(iii) the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, HUD established procedures in the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) rule for a public housing agencies (PHAs) to appeal an overall PHAS score or a troubled designation (§ 902.69). The PHAS rule in §§ 902.24 and 902.68 also provides that under certain circumstances PHAs may submit a request for a database adjustment and technical review, respectively, of physical condition inspection results.

Pursuant to the Office of Housing Physical Condition of Multifamily Properties regulation at § 200.857(d) and (e), multifamily property owners also have the right, under certain circumstances, to submit a request for a database adjustment and technical review, respectively, of physical condition inspection results.

Appeals, when granted, change assessment scores and designations; database adjustments and technical reviews, when granted, change property physical condition scores. These changes result is more accurate assessments.

Section 902.60 of the PHAS rule also provides that, in extenuating circumstances, PHAs may request an extension of time to submit required unaudited financial information. When granted, an extension of time postpones the imposition of sanctions for a late submission.

Respondents (i.e., affected public): Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and Multifamily Housing property owners (MF POs).

Burden Hour Estimates for Respondents for Appeals, TRs and DBAs

Type	Number of respondents	×	Frequency of response	Total responses	×	Estimated hours	=	Total annual burden hours
PHA Appeal	182		1	182		5		910
PHA Extension	79		1	79		0.17		13
PHA DBA	173		1	173		8		1,384
PHA TR	271		1	271		8		2,168
MF PO DBA	233		1	233		8		1,864
MF PO TR	876		1	876		8		7,008
Totals	1,814			1,814				13,347

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of 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. 3507 as amended.

Dated: February 24, 2021.

Merrie Nichols-Dixon,

Director, Office of Policy, Programs and Legislative Initiatives.