2022-13555. 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Complaints and Compensation for Construction Defects

AGENCY:

Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service announces its' intention to request an extension of a currently approved information collection and invites comments on this information collection.

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by August 23, 2022 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted by the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower “Search Regulations and Federal Actions” box, select “Rural Housing Service” from the agency drop-down menu, then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select RHS-22-SFH-0014” to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov , including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through the site's “User Tips” link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robin M. Jones, Management Analyst, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulations Management Division, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) regulation (5 CFR part 1320) implementing provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) requires that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies the following information collection that Rural Housing Service is submitting to OMB as extension to an existing collection with Agency adjustment.

Title: RD Instruction 1924-F, “Complaints and Compensation for Construction Defects.”

OMB Control Number: 0575-0082.

Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2022.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information collection.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average .32 hours per response.

Respondents: Individuals or households.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Number of Responses: 125.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 40 hours.

Abstract: The Complaints and Compensation for Construction Defects program under Section 509C of Title V of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended, provides funding to eligible persons who have structural defects with their Agency financed homes to correct these problems. Structural defects are defects in the dwelling, installation of a manufactured home, or a related facility or a deficiency in the site or site development which directly and significantly reduces the useful life, habitability, or integrity of the dwelling or unit. The defect may be due to faulty material, poor workmanship, or latent causes that existed when the dwelling or unit was constructed. The period in which to place a claim for a defect is within 18 months after the date that financial assistance was granted. If the defect is determined to be structural and is covered by the builder's/dealer's-contractor's warranty, the contractor is expected to correct the defect. If the contractor cannot or will not correct the defect, the borrower may be compensated for having the defect corrected, under the Complaints and Compensation for Construction Defects program. Provisions of this subpart do not apply to dwellings financed with Section 502 Guaranteed loans. The reporting burden covered by this collection of information consists of reporting requirements and forms burden to support a request for funding to eligible persons who have structural defects with their Agency financed homes to correct these problems.

Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(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 appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Robin M. Jones, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulations Management Division, at [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

Joaquin Altoro,

Administrator, Rural Housing Service.