[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38435-38436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18729]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census


Quarterly Survey of Residential Alteration and Repairs

ACTION: Proposed agency information collection activity; comment 
request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 23, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Acting 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to George A. Roff, Jr., Bureau of the Census, Room 
2225, Building 4, Washington, DC 20233 on (301) 457-1605.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is the preeminent collector and provider of 
timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the 
United States. Economic data are the Census Bureau's primary program 
commitment during nondecennial census years. The Census Bureau, under 
the authority of Title 13, United States Code, Section 182, conducts 
this survey which allows us to prepare estimates of the expenditures 
for residential improvement and repairs. This segment of the 
construction industry amounted to over $115 billion in 1994. A portion 
of these data are collected on form SORAR-705, which is mailed 
quarterly to owners of rental or vacant residential properties. Since 
residential improvement and repairs are a large and growing economic 
activity, any measure of the construction industry is incomplete 
without inclusion of these data.
    The Census Bureau uses the information to publish improvement and 
repair expenditures for rental or vacant residential properties. Data 
on improvements and repairs to owner-occupied properties are collected 
in the Consumer Expenditure Survey. Combined published estimates are 
used by a variety of private businesses and trade associations for 
marketing studies, economic forecasts and assessments of the 
construction industry. They also provide all levels of government with 
a tool to evaluate economic policy and measure progress towards 
established goals. For example, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 
uses the improvement statistics to develop the structures component of 
gross private domestic investment in the national income and product 
accounts.

II. Method of Collection

    The universe for this survey are the owners or designated 
representatives of the more than 40 million rental and vacant housing 
units in the United States. A sample of these owners--i.e., those 
identified in the Consumer Expenditure Survey--is mailed a 
questionnaire to report detailed improvement and repair expenditures 
for their entire property. Approximately 2,000 owners are queried each 
quarter.
    The sample design uses a rotation procedure which brings one-fourth 
of the sample (approximately 500 properties) into the survey each 
quarter and takes one-fourth out of the survey each quarter. The data 
collected are adjusted for unreturned or unusable forms by region and 
metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status. The weights are adjusted so 
that sample counts of renter occupied and vacant housing units agree 
with independently derived controls from the Current Population Survey.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0130.
    Form Number: SORAR-705.
    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, Businesses or Other for 
Profit Institutions, and State or Local Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: .25 hrs per quarter.

[[Page 38436]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the government for this 
work is estimated to be $203 million.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 18, 1996.
Linda Engelmeier,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 96-18729 Filed 7-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P