04-5311. Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Underwriting Program Section 203(K)

AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: May 10, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: Wayne Eddins, Reports Management Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., L'Enfant Plaza Building, Room 8003, Washington, DC 20410 or [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dick Bradley, Office of Single Family Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410, telephone [phone] extension 2326 (this is not a toll free number) for copies of the proposed forms and other available information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department is submitting the proposed information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended).

This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

This Notice also lists the following information:

Title of Proposal: Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Underwriting Program Section 203(k).

OMB Control Number, if applicable: 2502-0527.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The information collected implements recommendations to mitigate program abuses that were cited in an Audit Report of HUD's Office of Inspector General. The information collection focuses on the loan origination process and requires (1) certifications and disclosures concerning identity-of-interest borrowers and program participants, and (2) proficiency testing of home inspectors/consultants. Periodic reporting of the collected information is not required.

Agency form numbers, if applicable: HUD-92700, HUD-9746-A

Estimation of the total numbers of hours needed to prepare the information collection including number of respondents, frequency of response, and hours of response: The estimated number of burden hours needed to prepare the information collection is 319,450, the number of respondents is 259,200 generating approximately 259,200 annual responses; the frequency of response is on occasion; and the estimated time needed to prepare the response varies from .1 hours to 36 hours.

Status of the proposed information collection: Reinstatement, without change, of previously approved collection for which approval has expired.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended.

Dated: March 2, 2004.

Sean G. Cassidy,

General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing-Deputy Federal Housing Commissioner.