[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 49817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23922]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-4456-N-05]
Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of Planned Large-Scale Implementation
of Computer Matching Program: Matching Tenant Data in Assisted Housing
Programs
AGENCY: The Real Estate Assessment Center, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: During the fourth quarter of calendar year 1999, the Real
Estate Assessment Center (REAC) plans to implement the computer
matching program, Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of Matching Program:
Matching Tenant Data in Assisted Housing Programs, published in the
Federal Register on December 9, 1998, for all tenants included in HUD's
tenant databases. This computer matching program primarily involves
identifying potential income discrepancies, i.e., income that tenants
did not report as required when applying for initial or continued
rental assistance. Further, the program involves initiating
administrative or legal actions to resolve income discrepancies and any
excess rental assistance tenants received. The Secretary of HUD has
assigned the REAC with responsibility for the computer matching program
and the related income verification program.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information regarding the
large-scale computer matching and income verification program can be
obtained from David L. Decker, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Real Estate Assessment Center, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,
Room 5156, Washington, DC 20410-5000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1996 HUD has used Federal tax return
data received from the Social Security Administration and the Internal
Revenue Service to conduct various computer matching and income
verification projects. Those projects identified income discrepancies,
i.e., income that tenants did not report as required when applying for
initial or continued rental assistance. Further, the projects involve
initiating administrative or legal actions to resolve income
discrepancies. The most recent computer matching notice, Privacy Act of
1974; Notice of Matching Program: Matching Tenant Data in Assisted
Housing Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 9,
1998, describes techniques used. The matching program covers rental
assistance programs of HUD's Office of Housing and Office of Public and
Indian Housing. To date, HUD has limited the computer matching to
random samples of selected households and to 100 percent matching to
tenants receiving rental assistance from specific public housing
agencies.
To detect and deter abuses so that resources may be used to serve
needy families, HUD plans to implement the computer matching nationwide
during the fourth quarter of calendar year 1999. Computer matching
results will be sent to tenants with potentially significant income
discrepancies. Letters sent to tenants will request the tenants to
disclose income data shown in the letter to their local rental
assistance program administrators. A list of households with income
discrepancies will be sent to the local administrators. HUD is
precluded by law from disclosing the Federal tax return data to anyone
other than the tenant. The REAC plans to publish instructions for
administrators of HUD's rental assistance programs. The instructions
will describe the processes to be used in resolving income
discrepancies noted in the computer matching, and reporting on the
same. HUD published a notice of proposed information collection on July
27, 1999.
Dated: August 9, 1999.
Barbara L. Burkhalter,
Deputy Director, Real Estate Assessment Center.
[FR Doc. 99-23922 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-01-M
