[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 29102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14007]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
DOC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
clearance the following proposal for collection of information under
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
Agency: Bureau of the Census.
Title: Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions.
Form Number(s): SOC-QI/SF.1, SOC-QI/MF.1.
Agency Approval Number: 0607-0110.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Burden: 8,238 hours.
Number of Respondents: 22,800.
Avg. Hours Per Response: 5 minutes.
Needs and Uses: The Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and
Completions, also known as the Survey of Construction (SOC), is
conducted by the Bureau of the Census to collect information on
construction characteristics from a sample of home builders, real
estate agents, and new home owners.
The data gathered are used to publish estimates of the number of
new residential housing units started, under construction and
completed, and the number of new houses sold and for sale. Statistics
from the SOC are used by Government agencies and private companies to
monitor and evaluate this sector of the economy. For example, the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System uses the data from this
survey to evaluate the effect of interest rates in this area of the
economy. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses the data in developing
the gross domestic product. The private sector uses the information for
estimating the demand for building material and the many products used
in new housing and to schedule production, distribution, and sales
efforts. The financial community uses the data to estimate demand for
short-term (construction loans) and long-term (mortgages) borrowing.
The survey is conducted by mailing out a facsimile questionnaire to
respondents. A Census Bureau interviewer calls the respondent a few
days later to transcribe the information onto another form. Beginning
in July 1997 this transcription will be done using a Computer Assisted
Telephone Interview (CATI). This was previously done using a paper
form. The Census Bureau has been experimenting with an automated survey
collection instrument and has been using CATI on a test basis in the
SOC since 1985. The change will be transparent to respondents except
that the interviewer will be able to perform interactive editing of the
respondents answers during the interview.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Individuals or
households.
Frequency: Monthly.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13 USC, Section 182.
OMB Desk Officer: Jerry Coffey, (202) 395-7314.
Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained
by calling or writing Linda Engelmeier, DOC Forms Clearance Officer,
(202) 482-3272, Department of Commerce, room 5327, 14th and
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice
to Jerry Coffey, OMB Desk Officer, room 10201, New Executive Office
Building, Washington, DC 20503.
Dated: May 21, 1997.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and
Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-14007 Filed 5-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
