[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39169-39170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18623]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. No. FR-4441-N-35]


Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; 
Emergency Comment Request Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency 
Program (ROSS) Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public 
Comment

AGENCY: Office of Public and Indian Housing--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: July 28, 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) 708-5221, extension 
121. 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 
an information collection package with respect to a Notice announcing 
the Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency Program and a Notice of 
Funding Availability for Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency 
Grants. This information collection package submission to OMB for 
review is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35).
    This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected 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.
    The Department has submitted the proposal for the collection of 
information to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). The Department has requested emergency 
clearance of the collection of information, as described below, with 
approval being sought by July 27, 1999.
    Title of Proposals: Notice of Resident Opportunities and Self 
Sufficiency Program; Notice of Funding Availability for Resident 
Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Program.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use:
    The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban 
Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, (Pub. 
L. 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved October 21, 1998), (FY 1999 
Appropriations Act) provided approximately $40 million and $12.7 
million of carryover funds from the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
Housing and Urban Development and Independent Agencies

[[Page 39170]]

Appropriations Act 1998 (Pub. L. 105-65, 111 Stat. 1344, approved 
October 27, 1997) to fund ROSS, an economic self sufficiency program. 
ROSS will provide linkages to public housing residents by providing 
supportive services, resident empowerment activities and assisting 
residents in becoming economically self-sufficient. Under the ROSS 
program HUD is seeking to fund successful models which will link 
services and public housing residents to enhance their quality of life 
while promoting self sufficiency and personal responsibility in 
communities. HUD believes that it is imperative that housing 
authorities and residents work together to meet the challenge of 
welfare reform. Eligible applicants, (public housing authorities 
(PHAs), resident management corporations, resident councils or resident 
organizations, non profit entities supported by residents, Intermediary 
Resident Organizations) are encouraged to form partnerships and submit 
applications to be evaluated in accordance with the criteria contained 
in the Notice.
    The FY 1999 Appropriations also includes $15 million for the 
employment and support of Service Coordinators (SC) to serve the 
elderly and persons with disabilities in public housing. These Service 
Coordinators will help elderly and disabled public housing residents 
obtain essential supportive services that are needed to enable 
independent living and aging in place. Under this NOFA only renewals of 
prior Service Coordinator grants will be accepted. SC Grant award 
amounts cannot be higher than the applicant's funding and staffing 
level that was approved for their last funded Service Coordinator 
Grant. An increase of 2 percent will be allowed if supported by a 
narrative justification.
    Members of affected public: Approximately 850 applications are 
expected from eligible recipients such as resident management 
organizations, resident organizations, nonprofit entities supported by 
residents, public housing agencies, Intermediary Resident 
Organizations, Tribes, Tribally designated housing entities (THDEs) are 
expected under the Notice and the NOFA.
    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response: Applicants will be able to apply for 
ROSS grants in respective categories from the first day after the NOFA 
is published until the due date. Since this is the first year of 
operation for the ROSS program, it is essential that the technical 
assistance to be provided under the NOFA be in place as the ROSS 
applications are being developed to ensure that the new program is 
successful. The average amount of time to put together a ROSS 
application is likely to be, on an average, 40 hours. We anticipate 
that not more than 850 applicants will apply under the NOFA. In total, 
the Department expects this request will have an annual reporting 
burden of 33,200 hours.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB 
approval.

    Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: July 15, 1999.
David S. Cristy,
Director, Office of Investment Strategies, Policy and Management, 
Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-18623 Filed 7-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-01-M