2011-18384. Renewal of Agency Information Collection for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Housing Improvement Program; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of submission to the Office of Management and Budget.

SUMMARY:

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting a request for renewal of OMB approval to collect information for the BIA Housing Improvement Program. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control number 1076-0084, which expires August 31, 2011.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before August 22, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments on the information collection to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at the Office of Management and Budget, by facsimile to [phone] or you may send an e-mail to: OIRA_DOCKET@ omb.eop.gov. Please send a copy of your comments to Les Jensen, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Les Jensen [phone]. To see a copy of the entire collection submitted to OMB, go to http://www.reginfo.gov (select Information Collection Review, Currently Under Review).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

BIA is seeking renewal of the approval for the information collection conducted under 25 CFR 256, Housing Improvement Program, to determine applicant eligibility for housing improvement program services and to determine priority order in which eligible applicants may receive the program services. Approval for this collection expires on August 31, 2011. This information includes an application form. No changes are being made to the form or to the approved burden hours for this information collection.

II. Request for Comments

BIA requests your comments on this collection concerning: (a) The necessity of this information collection 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 (hours and cost) of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Ways we could enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Ways we could minimize the burden of the collection of the information on the respondents, such as through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Please note that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and an individual need not respond to, a collection of information unless it has a valid OMB Control Number.

It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for review at the location listed in the ADDRESSES section. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address or other personally identifiable information, be advised that your entire comment—including your personally identifiable information—may be made public at any time. While you may request that we withhold your personally identifiable information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 1076-0084.

Title: Bureau of Indian Affairs Housing Improvement Program, 25 CFR 256.

Brief Description of Collection: Submission of this information allows BIA to determine applicant eligibility for housing services based upon the criteria referenced in 25 CFR 256.9 (repairs and renovation assistance) and 256.10 (replacement assistance). Enrolled members of federally recognized tribes, who live within a tribe's designated and approved service area, submit information on an application form. The information is collected on a BIA Form 6407, “Housing Assistance Application,” and includes:

A. Applicant Information including: Name, current address, telephone number, date of birth, social security number, tribe, roll number, reservation, marital status, name of spouse, date of birth of spouse, tribe of spouse, and roll number of spouse.

B. Family Information including: Name, date of birth, relationship to applicant, and tribe/roll number.

C. Income Information: Earned and unearned income.

D. Housing Information including: Location of the house to be repaired, constructed, or purchased; description of housing assistance for which applying; knowledge of receipt of prior Housing Improvement Program assistance, amount to whom and when; ownership or rental; availability of electricity and name of electric company; type of sewer system; water source; number of bedrooms; size of house, and bathroom facilities.

E. Land Information including: Landowner; legal status of land; or type of interest in land.

F. General Information including: Prior receipt of services under the Housing Improvement Program and description of such; ownership of other housing and description of such; identification of Housing and Urban Development-funded house and current status of project; identification of other sources of housing assistance for which the applicant has applied and been denied assistance, if applying for a new housing unit or purchase of an existing standard unit; and advisement and description of any severe health problem, handicap or permanent disability.

G. Applicant Certification including: Signature of applicant and date, and signature of spouse and date.

Response is required to obtain a benefit.

Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Individuals.

Number of Respondents: 8,000 per year, on average.

Total Number of Responses: 8,000 per year, on average.

Frequency of Response: Once.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 8,000 hours.

Dated: July 11, 2011.

Alvin Foster

Acting Chief Information Officer, Indian Affairs.