96-17175. Redelegation of Authority; Waiver of Directives  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 131 (Monday, July 8, 1996)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 35803-35804]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-17175]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
    Opportunity
    [Docket No. FR-4102-D-01]
    
    
    Redelegation of Authority; Waiver of Directives
    
    AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
    Opportunity, HUD.
    
    ACTION: Notice of redelegation of authority.
    
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    SUMMARY: In this notice, the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and 
    Equal Opportunity redelegates to the Secretary's Representatives for 
    HUD's Field Offices the same waiver authority of directives and 
    handbook provisions pertaining to fair housing and equal opportunity in 
    Department programs, as provided to the FHEO Program Directors in the 
    HUD Field Offices. The Secretary's Representatives may further 
    redelegate the authority to waive directives and handbook provisions to 
    State and Area Coordinators within their geographic area.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: June 28, 1996.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Susan Forward, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and 
    Investigations, Office of FHEO, Department of Housing and Urban 
    Development, Room 5106, 451 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410, 
    telephone numbers (202) 708-4211 (voice), (202) 708-1455 (TTY). These 
    are not toll-free numbers.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this redelegation is to 
    provide Secretary's Representatives with the same authority to waive 
    directives, including handbook provisions, redelegated to FHEO Program 
    Directors in the Field Offices, and with the authority to further 
    redelegate to State and Area Coordinators. This redelegation does not 
    supersede the Department's Statement of Policy published on April 22, 
    1991, at 56 FR 16337, entitled ``Waiver of Regulations and Directives 
    Issued by HUD.''
        Department directives mandated by statute, executive order, or 
    regulation, and those related to civil rights compliance and 
    enforcement are not within this redelegation. The Secretary is the 
    ultimate repository of the authority both to issue and to waive the 
    regulations of the Department. Typically the authority to issue 
    regulations is delegated to an Assistant Secretary or official of 
    equivalent rank. Under section 7(q) of the Department of Housing and 
    Urban Development Act, 42 U.S.C. 3535(q), the Secretary may not 
    delegate the authority to waive a regulation below the Assistant 
    Secretary rank. This prohibition even includes individuals who have 
    been delegated authority concurrent with the Assistant Secretary. Under 
    circumstances prescribed in the policy statement, the General Counsel 
    must concur on proposed waivers of regulations subject to section 7(q) 
    of the HUD Act.
        Under HUD's policy statement on waiver of regulations and 
    directives, Directive means a Handbook (including a change or 
    supplement), notice, interim notice, special directive, and any other 
    issuance that the Department may classify as a directive. Handbook 
    means a directive that communicates information of a permanent nature 
    (including clarification of policies, instructions, guidance, 
    procedures, forms, and reports) for HUD staff or program participants. 
    Its permanent nature distinguishes a Handbook from other temporary HUD 
    directives such as notices.
        As part of the Department's continued commitment to empowering 
    communities, the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
    Opportunity is redelegating in this document additional authority to 
    the Secretary's
    
    [[Page 35804]]
    
    Representatives. Each Secretary's Representative is redelegated limited 
    authority to issue waivers of Department directives, including handbook 
    provisions, concerning fair housing and equal opportunity in Department 
    programs for the geographic area for which the Secretary's 
    Representative is responsible. The Secretary's Representative is 
    concurrently redelegated the same authority to waive Department 
    directives concerning fair housing and equal opportunity in Department 
    programs as resides with the Directors of FHEO for the Field Offices in 
    the geographic area. The Program Director and the Secretary's 
    Representative must jointly concur in all requests for waivers, whether 
    the request is granted or denied. If the Secretary's Representative and 
    the Program Director do not agree, the matter will be referred to the 
    Assistant Secretary for FHEO for resolution. If the Secretary's 
    Representative further redelegates his or her authority to a State and 
    Area Coordinator, and the Program Director and State and Area 
    Coordinator disagree on a waiver request, the State and Area 
    Coordinator will refer the matter to the Secretary's Representative.
        Accordingly, the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
    Opportunity redelegates as follows:
    
    Section A. Authority redelegated
    
        The Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity 
    concurrently redelegates to each Secretary's Representative the 
    following authority to waive Department directives, including handbook 
    provisions, concerning fair housing and equal opportunity in Department 
    programs for the geographic area for which the Secretary's 
    Representative is responsible. This authority includes the same 
    authority to waive directives pertaining to fair housing and equal 
    opportunity in Department programs as is redelegated to Directors of 
    FHEO in the geographic area. Each waiver granted shall be in writing, 
    specify the grounds for the waiver, and shall be transmitted in writing 
    to the Assistant Secretary for FHEO. The Assistant Secretary for FHEO 
    will publish any changes or amendments to its redelegations of 
    authority to Directors of FHEO in the field.
    
    Section B. Authority to further redelegate
    
        The authority redelegated pursuant to Section A., above, may be 
    further redelegated to the State and Area Coordinators for the 
    geographic region of the Secretary's Representative. If the Secretary's 
    Representative redelegates this authority to a State and Area 
    Coordinator, the redelegation shall include the requirement that each 
    waiver granted shall be in writing, specify the grounds for the waiver, 
    and shall be transmitted in writing simultaneously to the appropriate 
    Secretary's Representative and to the Assistant Secretary for FHEO.
    
        Authority: Sec. 7(d) of the Department of Housing and Urban 
    Development (42 U.S.C. 3535(d).
    
        Dated: June 18, 1996.
    Elizabeth K. Julian,
    Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
    [FR Doc. 96-17175 Filed 7-5-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4210-28-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
6/28/1996
Published:
07/08/1996
Department:
Housing and Urban Development Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of redelegation of authority.
Document Number:
96-17175
Dates:
June 28, 1996.
Pages:
35803-35804 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. FR-4102-D-01
PDF File:
96-17175.pdf