[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 71405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34313]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Parts 91 and 570

[Docket No. FR-4133-P-02]
RIN No. 2529-AA81


Fair Housing Performance Standards for Acceptance of Consolidated 
Plan Certifications and Compliance with Community Development Block 
Grant Performance Review Criteria; Extension of Public Comment Period

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, HUD.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: On October 28, 1998, HUD published a proposed rule that would 
amend the regulations on Consolidated Submissions for Community 
Planning and Development Programs to establish a standard for 
determining if the jurisdiction's certification regarding affirmatively 
furthering fair housing is inaccurate. The October 28, 1998 proposed 
rule also would amend the regulations on Community Development Block 
Grants to provide performance review standards for affirmatively 
furthering fair housing requirements. The public comment period on this 
rule was scheduled to close on December 28, 1998. This document extends 
the public comment period on this proposed rule to February 26, 1999.

DATES: Comment Due Date: February 26, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this interim rule to the Regulations Division, Office of General 
Counsel, Room 10276, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410. Communications should refer 
to the above docket number and title. Facsimile (FAX) comments are not 
acceptable. A copy of each communication submitted will be available 
for public inspection and copying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. 
weekdays at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on part 570, Deirdre 
Maguire-Zinni, Director, Entitlement Communities Division, Office of 
Block Grant Assistance, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
Room 7282, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410. Telephone 
(202) 708-1577, ext. 4529. For questions on part 91, Sal Sclafani, 
Acting Director, Policy Coordination Division, Office of Executive 
Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410. Telephone (202) 708-1283, ext. 4364. 
For questions on affirmatively furthering fair housing or the analysis 
of impediments to fair housing choice, William Dudley Gregorie, Deputy 
Director, Office of Programs, Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 452 Seventh 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410. Telephone (202) 708-2288, ext. 266. 
(These telephone numbers are not toll-free.) Hearing-impaired or 
speech-impaired individuals may access the voice telephone number 
listed above by calling the Federal information relay service during 
working hours at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 28, 1998, HUD published a 
proposed rule that would amend part 91--Consolidated Submissions for 
Community Planning and Development Programs--to establish a standard 
for determining if the jurisdiction's certification regarding 
affirmatively furthering fair housing is inaccurate (see 63 FR 57882). 
The October 28, 1998 rule also proposed to amend part 570--Community 
Development Block Grants--to provide performance review standards for 
affirmatively furthering fair housing requirements.
    Both revisions would make clear that compliance with the 
requirement to affirmatively further fair housing would require 
grantees to have a complete and accurate analysis of impediments to 
fair housing choice and to not violate the Fair Housing Act or civil 
rights laws prohibiting discrimination in housing programs receiving 
Federal financial assistance. These revisions would serve to provide 
communities with a clear idea of the standards that HUD would use in 
both reviewing certifications included as part of a grantee's 
Consolidated Plan submission, as well as determining CDBG grantees' 
compliance with the statutory requirements of the CDBG program to 
affirmatively further fair housing.
    The public comment period on this proposed rule was scheduled to 
end December 28, 1998. A number of commenters have requested additional 
time to submit their comments. Accordingly, the Department has decided 
to extend the public comment period on this proposed rule for an 
additional 60 days. The new public comment period deadline is February 
26, 1999.

    Dated: December 21, 1998.
Cardell Cooper,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 98-34313 Filed 12-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-32-P