[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38435-38436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18729]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
Quarterly Survey of Residential Alteration and Repairs
ACTION: Proposed agency information collection activity; comment
request.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 23,
1996.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions
should be directed to George A. Roff, Jr., Bureau of the Census, Room
2225, Building 4, Washington, DC 20233 on (301) 457-1605.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of
timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the
United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program
commitment during nondecennial census years. The Census Bureau, under
the authority of Title 13, United States Code, Section 182, conducts
this survey which allows us to prepare estimates of the expenditures
for residential improvement and repairs. This segment of the
construction industry amounted to over $115 billion in 1994. A portion
of these data are collected on form SORAR-705, which is mailed
quarterly to owners of rental or vacant residential properties. Since
residential improvement and repairs are a large and growing economic
activity, any measure of the construction industry is incomplete
without inclusion of these data.
The Census Bureau uses the information to publish improvement and
repair expenditures for rental or vacant residential properties. Data
on improvements and repairs to owner-occupied properties are collected
in the Consumer Expenditure Survey. Combined published estimates are
used by a variety of private businesses and trade associations for
marketing studies, economic forecasts and assessments of the
construction industry. They also provide all levels of government with
a tool to evaluate economic policy and measure progress towards
established goals. For example, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
uses the improvement statistics to develop the structures component of
gross private domestic investment in the national income and product
accounts.
II. Method of Collection
The universe for this survey are the owners or designated
representatives of the more than 40 million rental and vacant housing
units in the United States. A sample of these owners--i.e., those
identified in the Consumer Expenditure Survey--is mailed a
questionnaire to report detailed improvement and repair expenditures
for their entire property. Approximately 2,000 owners are queried each
quarter.
The sample design uses a rotation procedure which brings one-fourth
of the sample (approximately 500 properties) into the survey each
quarter and takes one-fourth out of the survey each quarter. The data
collected are adjusted for unreturned or unusable forms by region and
metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status. The weights are adjusted so
that sample counts of renter occupied and vacant housing units agree
with independently derived controls from the Current Population Survey.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0607-0130.
Form Number: SORAR-705.
Type of Review: Regular Review.
Affected Public: Individuals or households, Businesses or Other for
Profit Institutions, and State or Local Governments.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000.
Estimated Time Per Response: .25 hrs per quarter.
[[Page 38436]]
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,000.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the government for this
work is estimated to be $203 million.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(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
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 18, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-18729 Filed 7-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
