[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 30246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14664]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4351-N-07]


Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; 
Emergency Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and 
Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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

DATES: Comments are due on or before June 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and should 
be sent to: Joseph F. Lackey, Jr., HUD Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Wayne Eddins, Reports Management Officer, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410; 
telephone (202) 708-1305. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of the 
proposed forms and other available documents submitted to OMB may be 
obtained from Mr. Eddins.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice informs the public that the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB, for 
emergency processing, an information collection package regarding 
random digit dialing (RDD) rent surveys. HUD is requesting a 7-day OMB 
review of this information collection.
    Section 8(C)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 requires 
the Secretary to publish Fair Market Rents (FMRs) annually to be 
effective on October 1 of each year. FMRs are used for the Section 8 
Rental Certificate Program (including space rentals by owners of 
manufactured homes under that program); the Moderate Rehabilitation 
Single Room Occupancy program; housing assisted under the Loan 
Management and Property Disposition programs; payment standards for the 
Rental Voucher program; and any other program whose regulations specify 
their use.
    Random digit dialing (RDD) telephone surveys have been used for 
several years to adjust FMRs. These surveys are based on a sampling 
procedure that uses computers to select statistically random samples of 
telephone numbers to locate certain types of rental housing units for 
surveying. HUD contracts with a private company to conduct two types of 
RDD surveys: (1) Approximately 50 individual FMR areas are surveyed 
every year to test the accuracy of their FMRs; (2) In addition, 20 RDD 
surveys are conducted every year to provide updating factors for FMRs 
not surveyed individually and for Annual Adjustment Factors (AAFs.) 
These surveys are conducted in the nonmetropolitan portions of all 10 
HUD regions, and in the 10 metropolitan portions that do not have their 
own Consumer Price Index (CPI) surveys.
    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: Section 8 Random Digit Dialing Fair Market Rent 
Telephone Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 2528-0142.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: This 
provides HUD with a fast, inexpensive way to estimate and update 
Section 8 Fair Market Rents (FMRs) in areas not covered by AHS or CPI 
surveys, and in areas where FMRs are believed to be incorrect. It also 
provides estimates of annual rent changes.
    Members of affected public: Individuals or households.
    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response: The RDD surveys require a great many 
telephone calls to reach the required number of eligible respondents--
those living in 1 or 2 bedroom nonsubsidized rental housing, who had 
moved in recently. Most numbers are screened out on the first completed 
telephone call, which is brief. The few that are eligible are asked a 
longer series of questions, for a total elapsed time of about 4 minutes 
each. Information collection is voluntary.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB 
approval.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and Section 8(C)(1) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937.

    Dated: May 28, 1998.
Paul A. Leonard,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 98-14664 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-62-M