[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10314-10315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5162]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4446-N-01]


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

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, 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 Due date: March 10, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments must be received within seven (7) days from the 
date of this Notice. 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) 708-0050. This is not 
a toll-free number. Copies of 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 (HUD) has submitted to OMB, 
for emergency processing, an information collection package with 
respect to a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the HUD Rural 
Housing and Economic Development program (RHEP). This emergency 
processing is essential in order to meet the Congressionally mandated 
date of June 1, 1999 by which to award the funds.
    The Department of Veterans Affairs and Urban Development and 
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-276, 
approved October 21, 1998; 112 Stat. 2461) (FY 1999 HUD Appropriations 
Act) authorized and appropriated $25,000,000 to develop capacity at the 
state and local level to develop rural housing and economic development 
and to support innovative housing and economic development activities 
in rural areas. In addition $3 million is available in carryover from 
FY 1998 funds. The funds will be available as follows:
    HUD will award up to $4 million to develop capacity at the state 
and local level for developing rural housing and economic development 
which will go directly to Indian Tribes, local rural nonprofits, and 
community development corporations and $5 million in seed support for 
the same entities that are located in areas that have limited capacity 
for the development of rural housing and economic development.
    HUD will award up to $17 million to Indian Tribes, State Housing 
finance agencies, state community and/or economic development agencies, 
local rural non-profits and CDCs to support innovative housing and 
economic development activities in rural areas.
    HUD will award up to $6 million in seed support for Indian tribes, 
local rural nonprofits and CDCs that are located in areas that have 
limited capacity for the development of rural housing and economic 
development.
    In addition to these funds which will be awarded in responses to 
the NOFA, the remaining $1 million appropriated by the FY 1999 HUD 
Appropriations Act will be used to create a clearing house of ideas for 
innovative strategies for rural housing and economic development and 
revitalization.
    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 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.
    The Department has submitted the proposal for the collection of 
information, as described below, to OMB for review, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35):
    Title of Proposal: NOFA: Rural Housing and Economic Development 
Program.
    OMB Control Number, if application:
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
information collection is essential so that HUD staff may determine the 
eligibility, qualifications and capacity of applicants to carry out 
activities under the Rural Housing and Economic Development program. 
HUD will review the information provided by the applicants against the 
selection criteria contained in the NOFA in order to rate and rank the 
applications and select the best and most qualified applications for 
funding. The selection criteria are: (1) Capacity of the applicant and 
relevant organizational staff; (2) Need/Extent of the Problem; (3) 
Soundness of Approach; (4) Leveraging of Resources; and (5) 
Comprehensiveness and coordination.

[[Page 10315]]

    Agency form numbers, if applicable: SF 424 (including a maximum 25 
page application in response to the Factors for Award).
    Members of affected public: Eligible applicants are rural non-
profits and Community Development Corporations, Indian Tribes, State 
Housing Finance Agencies and State Community or Economic Development 
Agencies.
    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 estimated number of applicants is 
200, with approximately 75 recipients. The proposed frequency of the 
response to the collection of information is one-time; the application 
needs to be submitted only one time.
    Status of the proposed information collection: New collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: February 24, 1999.
David S. Cristy,
Director, IRM Policy and Management Division.
[FR Doc. 99-5162 Filed 3-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-13-M