2012-20423. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; Public Housing Operating Fund Program: Operating Budget and Related Form

AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, 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.

This information collection will ensure that Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) follow sound financial practices and that federal funds are used for eligible expenditures. PHAs use the information as a financial summary and analysis of immediate and long-term operating programs and plans to provide control over operations and achieve objectives.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: October 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposed information collection. Comments should refer to the proposal by name or OMB Control number and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Departmental Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4160, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone [phone] (this is not a toll-free number) or email Ms. Pollard at [e-mail]. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at [phone]. (Other than the HUD USER information line and TTY numbers, telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Arlette Mussington, Office of Policy, Programs and Legislative Initiatives, PIH, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., (L'Enfant Plaza, Room 2206), Washington, DC 20410; telephone [phone], (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department will submit 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 of information 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 through 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: Public Housing Operating Fund Program: Operating Budget and Related Form.

OMB Control Number: 2577-0026.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The operating budget and related form are submitted by PHAs for the low-income housing program. The operating budget provides a summary of proposed budget receipts and expenditures by major category, as well as blocks for indicating approval of budget receipts and expenditures by the PHA and HUD. The related form provides a record of PHA Board approval of how the amounts shown on the operating budget were arrived at, as well as justification of certain specified amounts. The information is reviewed by HUD to determine if the plan of operation adopted by the PHA and amounts included therein are reasonable for the efficient and economical operation of the development(s), and the PHA is in compliance with HUD procedures to ensure that sound management practices will be followed in the operation of the development. A small number of PHAs (200) are still required to submit their operating budget packages to HUD, namely those that are troubled, those that are recently out of troubled status or at risk of becoming troubled, or those that are at risk of fiscal insolvency. PHAs are still required to prepare their operating budgets and submit them to their Board for approval prior to their operating subsidy being approved by HUD. The operating budgets must be kept on file for review, if requested.

Agency form number, if applicable: HUD-52574.

Members of affected public: PHAs, state or local government.

Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the information collection including number of respondents: The estimated number of respondents is 200 troubled PHAs that prepare and submit to the Board of Commissioners operating budgets and related form annually and submit to HUD for a reporting burden of 23,500 hours. The remaining number of respondents that submit the related form to HUD is 2941 for a reporting burden of 534 hours. The total reporting burden is 24,034 hours.

Status of the proposed information collection: Extension of an existing collection.

Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

Dated: August 10, 2012.

Merrie Nichols-Dixon,

Deputy Director, Office of Policy, Program and Legislative Initiatives.