[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 49817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23922]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4456-N-05]


Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of Planned Large-Scale Implementation 
of Computer Matching Program: Matching Tenant Data in Assisted Housing 
Programs

AGENCY: The Real Estate Assessment Center, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: During the fourth quarter of calendar year 1999, the Real 
Estate Assessment Center (REAC) plans to implement the computer 
matching program, Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of Matching Program: 
Matching Tenant Data in Assisted Housing Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on December 9, 1998, for all tenants included in HUD's 
tenant databases. This computer matching program primarily involves 
identifying potential income discrepancies, i.e., income that tenants 
did not report as required when applying for initial or continued 
rental assistance. Further, the program involves initiating 
administrative or legal actions to resolve income discrepancies and any 
excess rental assistance tenants received. The Secretary of HUD has 
assigned the REAC with responsibility for the computer matching program 
and the related income verification program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information regarding the 
large-scale computer matching and income verification program can be 
obtained from David L. Decker, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, Real Estate Assessment Center, 451 Seventh Street, SW., 
Room 5156, Washington, DC 20410-5000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1996 HUD has used Federal tax return 
data received from the Social Security Administration and the Internal 
Revenue Service to conduct various computer matching and income 
verification projects. Those projects identified income discrepancies, 
i.e., income that tenants did not report as required when applying for 
initial or continued rental assistance. Further, the projects involve 
initiating administrative or legal actions to resolve income 
discrepancies. The most recent computer matching notice, Privacy Act of 
1974; Notice of Matching Program: Matching Tenant Data in Assisted 
Housing Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 9, 
1998, describes techniques used. The matching program covers rental 
assistance programs of HUD's Office of Housing and Office of Public and 
Indian Housing. To date, HUD has limited the computer matching to 
random samples of selected households and to 100 percent matching to 
tenants receiving rental assistance from specific public housing 
agencies.
    To detect and deter abuses so that resources may be used to serve 
needy families, HUD plans to implement the computer matching nationwide 
during the fourth quarter of calendar year 1999. Computer matching 
results will be sent to tenants with potentially significant income 
discrepancies. Letters sent to tenants will request the tenants to 
disclose income data shown in the letter to their local rental 
assistance program administrators. A list of households with income 
discrepancies will be sent to the local administrators. HUD is 
precluded by law from disclosing the Federal tax return data to anyone 
other than the tenant. The REAC plans to publish instructions for 
administrators of HUD's rental assistance programs. The instructions 
will describe the processes to be used in resolving income 
discrepancies noted in the computer matching, and reporting on the 
same. HUD published a notice of proposed information collection on July 
27, 1999.

    Dated: August 9, 1999.
Barbara L. Burkhalter,
Deputy Director, Real Estate Assessment Center.
[FR Doc. 99-23922 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-01-M