[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6967-6968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2896]



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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Office of the Secretary

24 CFR Part 91

[Docket No. R-95-1731; FR-3611-N-07]


Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HUD.

ACTION: Partial waiver of rule.

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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public that the Secretary is waiving 
three provisions of the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy 
(CHAS) rule that is in effect until it is replaced by the Consolidated 
Plan rule on February 6, 1995. These three provisions are being waived 
to permit an orderly transition from the CHAS to the Consolidated plan.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 31, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph F. Smith, Director, Office of 
Executive Services, Office of Community Planning and Development, 451 
7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 708-1283 (voice) 
or (202) 708-2565 (TDD). These are not toll-free numbers. Copies of 
this notice will be made available on tape or large print for those 
with impaired vision that request them. They may be obtained at the 
above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development intends to reduce 
the burden of administering the housing and community development 
programs by consolidating the planning and application requirements 
into a single housing and community development strategy. The new 
consolidated plan integrates the following submissions into one 
consolidated document: The Comprehensive Housing Affordability 
Strategy, the Community Development Plan, the Community Development 
Block Grant Final Statement, the HOME Program Description, the 
Emergency Shelter Grant application, and the Housing Opportunities for 
Persons With AIDS application.
    The consolidated plan requirements were published in a proposed 
rule on August 5, 1994 (59 FR 40129). The final consolidated plan 
submission rule, to be codified at 24 CFR part 91, was published on 
January 5, 1995 (60 FR 1878), replacing the CHAS regulations. The 
Department did not want jurisdictions that are preparing a consolidated 
plan under the new rule to be burdened unnecessarily by preparing a 
CHAS annual plan and a CHAS annual performance report.
    Some of the requirements of the CHAS rule contain provisions that 
create obstacles for jurisdictions in making the transition to the 
consolidated plan. Section 91.70 of the CHAS rule would require States 
and local governments to submit a CHAS annual plan for the period of 
October 1, 1994 through September 30, 1995 (Fiscal Year 1995) by 
December 31, 1994. Section 91.80(a)(2) would require them to submit 
certifications of consistency with the annual plan for the current 
fiscal year (now Fiscal Year 1995). Section 91.82(b) would require them 
to submit CHAS annual performance reports for the 12-month period 
ending September 30, 1994 by December 31, 1994. These provisions are 
the subject of this waiver document.

II. Waiver

    Pursuant to the authority of 24 CFR 91.99, the Department hereby 
waives the following provisions of the CHAS regulations, 24 CFR part 
91, which are in effect until February 6, 1995: [[Page 6968]] 
    (1) Section 91.70(a), to the extent that it would require States 
and local governments to submit a CHAS annual plan for Fiscal Year 1995 
(the period from October 1, 1994 through September 1995);
    (2) Section 91.80(a)(2), to the extent that it would require a 
certification of consistency to apply to a new annual plan for Federal 
Fiscal Year 1995, rather than the annual plan submitted for Fiscal Year 
1994 extended to cover the period in Fiscal Year 1995 until the 
beginning of the first program year under the consolidated plan;
    (3) Section 91.82(b), to the extent that it would require an annual 
performance report to be submitted by December 31, 1994, to extend the 
submission deadline to 90 days following the first day of the 
jurisdiction's first program year under the consolidated plan 
regulation, in accordance with the revised 24 CFR part 91 published on 
January 5, 1995.
    The good cause for waiver of these provisions is to avoid 
unnecessary duplication of effort that would otherwise be required for 
States and local governments developing a consolidated plan and the 
undue hardship that would result if jurisdictions were not able to 
provide required certificates of consistency for this time period from 
October 1, 1994 to the beginning of the Consolidated Plan program year.

III. Effect

    As a result of the first waiver, jurisdictions need not submit a 
CHAS annual plan for the time period between the end of Fiscal Year 
1994 and the beginning of the jurisdiction's consolidated program year. 
The jurisdiction's previously approved CHAS will remain in effect until 
the start date of the jurisdiction's new consolidated program year, at 
which point the jurisdiction's new consolidated plan will take effect. 
The second waiver allows jurisdictions to use their annual plan for 
Fiscal Year 1994 as extended by this notice for the purpose of 
certifications of consistency. The third waiver allows jurisdictions to 
submit a last performance report under the CHAS for a period longer 
than 12 months, to include Fiscal Year 1994 and the period between the 
end of Fiscal Year 1994 and the beginning of the first Consolidated 
Plan program year.
    To the extent that a jurisdiction determines that its CHAS needs to 
be updated, an amendment to the Fiscal Year 1994 CHAS may be submitted 
to reflect any change. (Under the Consolidated Plan rule, the new 
consolidated plan strategy is due at least 45 days before the start of 
the consolidated plan year selected by each jurisdiction.)

    Dated: January 31, 1995.
Henry G. Cisneros,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-2896 Filed 2-2-95; 11:43 am]
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