2012-6593. Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Applications for Housing Assistance Payments; Special Claims Processing

AGENCY:

Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been 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 is an extension of a currently approved collection for submitting Applications for Housing Assistance Payments for Section 8, Rent Supplement, Rental Assistance Payment (RAP), Section 202 Project Assistance Contracts (PACs) and Section 811 and 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACS) program units. Special Claims for damages, unpaid rent loss, and vacancy claims are available for the Section 8, Section 202 PACs, and Section 811 and Section 202 PRACS programs. Each HUD program has an assistance payments contract. These contracts indicate that HUD will make monthly assistance payments to Project Owners/Management Agents on behalf of the eligible households who reside in the assisted units. Project Owners are required to sign a certification on the Housing Owner's Certifications and Application for Housing Assistance form which states: (1) Each tenant's eligibility and assistance payments was computed in accord with HUD's regulations administrative procedures and the Contract, and are payable under the Contract; (2) The units for which assistance is being billed are decent, safe, sanitary, and occupied or available for occupancy; (3) No amount included on the bill has been previously billed or paid; (4) All facts and data on which the payment request is based are true and accurate; and (5) That no payments have been paid or will be paid from the tenant or any public or private source for units beyond that authorized by the assistance contract, or lease, unless permitted by HUD.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: April 18, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB approval Number (2502-0182) and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; fax: [phone]. Email: [e-mail], fax: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Colette Pollard., Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at Colette. [e-mail] or telephone [phone]. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB a request for approval of the Information collection described below. This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affecting 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: Applications for Housing Assistance Payments; Special Claims Processing.

OMB Approval Number: 2502-0182.

Form Numbers: HUD-52670, HUD-52670-A Part 1, HUD-52670-A Part 2, HUD-52670-A Part 3, HUD-52670-A Part 4, HUD-52670-A Part 5, and HUD-52671-A/B/C/D.

Description of the Need for the Information and its Proposed Use: This is an extension of a currently approved collection for submitting Applications for Housing Assistance Payments for Section 8, Rent Supplement, Rental Assistance Payment (RAP), Section 202 Project Assistance Contracts (PACs) and Section 811 and 202 Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACS) program units. Special Claims for damages, unpaid rent loss, and vacancy claims are available for the Section 8, Section 202 PACs, and Section 811 and Section 202 PRACS programs. Each HUD program has an assistance payments contract. These contracts indicate that HUD will make monthly assistance payments to Project Owners/Management Agents on behalf of the eligible households who reside in the assisted units. Project Owners are required to sign a certification on the Housing Owner's Certifications and Application for Housing Assistance form which states: (1) Each tenant's eligibility and assistance payments was computed in accord with HUD's regulations administrative procedures and the Contract, and are payable under the Contract; (2) The units for which assistance is being billed are decent, safe, sanitary, and occupied or available for occupancy; (3) No amount included on the bill has been previously billed or paid; (4) All facts and data on which the payment request is based are true and accurate; and (5) That no payments have been paid or will be paid from the tenant or any public or private source for units beyond that authorized by the assistance contract, or lease, unless permitted by HUD.

Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the information collection including number of respondents, frequency of response, and hours of response: An estimation of the annual total number of hours needed to prepare the information collection is 301,951, number of respondents is 21,787, frequency of response is 12 per annum, and the total hours per respondent is 6.65.

Status: Existing of a currently approved collection.

Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 35, as amended.

Dated: March 13, 2012.

Colette Pollard,

Departmental Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.