[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51045-51047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24600]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Part 903

[Docket No. FR-4420-F-04]
RIN 2577-AB89


Public Housing Agency Plans; Change in Plan Submission Dates

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Final rule; amendment.

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SUMMARY: This final rule makes two amendments to HUD's February 18, 
1999 interim rule regarding public housing agency (PHA) plans. First, 
this final rule provides PHAs whose fiscal years begin on January 1, 
2000, with additional time to submit their first PHA plans to HUD. This 
final rule also provides that, for purposes of first PHA plan 
submissions, a PHA will be considered to have submitted its PHA plans 
on the submission due date, regardless of whether the PHA submits its 
first plans before that date. This final rule does not address the 
public comments received on the February 18, 1999 interim rule. The 
comments will be addressed in a separate rulemaking that HUD is 
currently developing, and that HUD expects to publish within the next 
few weeks.

DATES: Effective Date: October 21, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Beth 
Cooper, the Office of Policy, Program and Legislative Initiatives, 
Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Room 4116, Washington, DC 20410; 
telephone (202) 708-0730 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with 
hearing or speech impairments may access that number via TTY by calling 
the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. HUD's February 18, 1999 Interim Rule

    On February 18, 1999 (64 FR 8170), HUD published an interim rule to 
implement a new component of public housing and tenant-based assistance 
operations required by the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act 
of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved October 21, 1998) 
(referred to as the ``Public Housing Reform Act'')--the public housing 
agency plans. Through these plans--the 5-year Plan and the Annual 
Plan--a public housing agency (PHA) will advise HUD, its

[[Page 51046]]

residents and members of the public of the PHA's mission for serving 
the needs of low-income and very low-income families, and the PHA's 
strategy for addressing those needs. The February 18, 1999 interim rule 
established the initial procedures and requirements for development, 
submission and implementation of the Plans. The February 18, 1999 
interim rule also provided the dates for submission of the Plans. The 
interim rule became effective on March 22, 1999, and is codified at 24 
CFR part 903 (entitled ``Public Housing Agency Plans'').

II. This Rule

    The purpose of this final rule is to make two amendments to the 
February 18, 1999 interim rule. The amendments are as follows:
    1. Extended submission date for initial PHA Plans. Section 511 of 
the Public Housing Reform Act provides (in subsection (h)(1)) for the 
Secretary to establish the due date for initial submission of the PHA 
5-year and Annual Plans. After initial submission of the PHA Plans, the 
statute sets the due date at not later than 75 days before the start of 
the PHA's fiscal year. In accordance with this statutory authority, the 
February 18, 1999 interim rule established due dates for the initial 
submission of the PHA Plans.
    The February 18, 1999 interim rule established a due date of ``no 
later than 75 days before January 1, 2000'' for the first 5-year Plan 
submission by PHAs whose fiscal years begin on January 1, 2000. PHAs 
whose fiscal years begin after that date are required to submit their 
first 5-year Plan ``no later than 75 days before the commencement of 
their fiscal year.'' (See Sec. 903.3(a) of the February 18, 1999 
interim rule)
    The interim rule established a due date of October 15, 1999 for the 
first PHA Annual Plan submission by PHAs whose fiscal years begin on 
January 1, 2000. PHAs whose fiscal years begin after January 1, 2000 
are required to submit their first Annual Plan no later than ``75 days 
in advance of their fiscal year commencement date.'' (See Sec. 903.3(b) 
of the February 18, 1999 interim rule).
    On July 30, 1999, HUD issued Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Notice 
99-33, which announced the availability of an electronic template that 
PHAs must use to complete and submit the PHA Plans. The electronic 
template, which is generally presented in question and answer format, 
clarifies HUD's expectations for PHA Plan submissions and will make 
these submissions easier to complete. The PIH notice also provides 
additional guidance for completing the PHA Plans.
    This rule extends the due date for initial PHA Plan submissions 
made by PHAs with fiscal years beginning on January 1, 2000. 
Specifically, the rule provides that these PHAs must submit their first 
PHA Plans to HUD by December 1, 1999. This extension is designed to 
permit these PHAs (who will be the first to submit PHA Plans) to 
benefit from the electronic template and additional guidance provided 
in PIH Notice 99-33.
    2. Designation of December 1, 1999 as the PHA Plan submission date. 
The February 18, 1999 interim rule provides that ``not later than 75 
days after the date on which the PHA submits its plan * * * HUD will 
issue written notice to the PHA if the plan has been disapproved.'' 
(See Sec. 903.23(b)(2) of the February 18, 1999 interim rule).
    This rule amends the interim rule to provide that, for purposes of 
the submission of the first PHA Plans, the ``date on which the PHA 
submits its plan'' will be considered to be the submission due date. 
Accordingly, the 75-day period for HUD to provide written notice of its 
disapproval will not begin until the due date. For example, the initial 
Plan submission due date for PHAs whose fiscal year begins on January 
1, 2000 is December 1, 1999. The 75-day HUD review period for these 
Plans will begin on December 1, 1999, regardless of whether the PHA has 
submitted its PHA Plans before December 1, 1999.
    The designation of the due date as the submission date for purposes 
of the 75-day period assures that there is a uniform time period in 
which HUD field offices are charged with reviewing the PHA Plan 
submissions, and that field offices will have been provided appropriate 
and uniform guidance prior to the review period. The result will be HUD 
reviews that have the benefit of the uniform guidance and, thus, will 
be conducted under uniform, national standards. The uniform time period 
will also assist HUD's efforts to use its work force as efficiently as 
possible. Both of these benefits will assist PHAs and the public. The 
extended time period until the first submissions makes this step more 
important.

III. HUD's Upcoming Final Rule Regarding the PHA Plans

    This rule does not address the public comments received on the 
February 18, 1999 interim rule. HUD is currently developing a separate 
rule that will finalize the policies and procedures contained in the 
February 18, 1999 interim rule, and that takes into consideration the 
public comments received on the interim rule. HUD expects to publish 
this final rule within the next few weeks.

IV. Justification for Issuance of Rule for Effect

    In general, HUD publishes a rule for public comment before issuing 
a rule for effect, in accordance with its own regulations on rulemaking 
at 24 CFR part 10. Part 10, however, does provide for exceptions from 
that general rule where HUD finds good cause to omit advance notice and 
public participation. The good cause requirement is satisfied when the 
prior public procedure is ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest'' (24 CFR 10.1). HUD finds that good cause exists 
to publish this rule for effect without first soliciting public 
comment, in that prior public procedure is unnecessary. Public 
procedure is unnecessary because this rule simply makes two technical 
amendments to 24 CFR part 903 regarding the due dates for initial PHA 
Plan submissions. These amendments will provide PHAs whose fiscal years 
begin on January 1, 2000 with additional time to prepare their first 
PHA Plans. The amendments will also benefit HUD, PHAs, and the public 
by assuring that there is a uniform time period in which HUD field 
offices are charged with reviewing the PHA Plan submissions, and that 
field offices will have been provided appropriate and uniform guidance 
prior to the review period.

V. Findings and Certifications

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Secretary, in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 605(b)), has reviewed and approved this rule, and in so doing 
certifies that this rule will not have a significant economic impact on 
a substantial number of small entities. This rule only makes two 
technical amendments to 24 CFR part 903 regarding the due date for 
initial PHA Plan submissions by PHAs with fiscal years beginning on 
January 1, 2000.

Environmental Impact

    This rule is exempt from the environmental review procedures under 
HUD regulations in 24 CFR part 50 that implement section 102(2)(C) of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) because 
of the exemption under Sec. 50.19(c)(1). This rule only makes a 
technical amendment to an existing regulation.

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Executive Order 12612, Federalism

    The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a) 
of Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that this rule 
will not have substantial direct effects on States or their political 
subdivisions, or the relationship between the Federal Government and 
the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among 
the various levels of government. No programmatic or policy changes 
will result from this rule that would affect the relationship between 
the Federal Government and State and local governments.

List of Subjects in 24 CFR Part 903

    Administrative practice and procedure, Public housing, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements.
    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, HUD amends 24 CFR part 
903 as follows:

PART 903--PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY PLANS

    1. The authority citation for part 903 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1437c; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d).

    2. Revise Sec. 903.3 to read as follows:


Sec. 903.3  When must a PHA submit the plans to HUD?

    (a) 5-Year Plan. (1) The first PHA fiscal year that is covered by 
the requirements of this part is the PHA fiscal year that begins 
January 1, 2000. The first 5-Year Plan submitted by a PHA must be 
submitted for the 5-year period beginning January 1, 2000. The first 5-
Year Plans are due on December 1, 1999. For PHAs whose fiscal years 
begin after January 1, 2000, their 5-Year Plans are due no later than 
75 days before the commencement of their fiscal year. For all PHAs, 
after submission of their first 5-Year Plan, all subsequent
5-Year Plans must be submitted once every 5 PHA fiscal years, no later 
than 75 days before the commencement of the PHA's fiscal year.
    (2) PHAs may choose to update their 5-Year Plans every year as good 
management practice. PHAs must explain any substantial deviation from 
their 5-Year Plans in their Annual Plans.
    (b) The Annual Plan. The first fiscal year that is covered by the 
requirements of this part is the PHA fiscal year that begins January 1, 
2000. The first Annual Plans are due December 1, 1999. For PHAs whose 
fiscal years begin after January 1, 2000, their first Annual Plan are 
due 75 days in advance of their fiscal year commencement date. For all 
PHAs, after submission of their first Annual Plan, all subsequent 
Annual Plans will be due 75 days in advance of the commencement of a 
PHA's fiscal year.
    3. Add Sec. 903.23(c) to read as follows:


Sec. 903.23  What is the process by which HUD reviews, approves, or 
disapproves an Annual Plan?

* * * * *
    (c) Designation of due date as submission date for initial plan 
submissions. For purposes of the 75-day period described in paragraph 
(b) of this section, the first 5-year and Annual Plans submitted by a 
PHA will be considered to have been submitted on their due date 
(December 1, 1999 or 75 days before the start of the PHA fiscal year, 
as appropriate--see Sec. 903.3).
* * * * *
    Dated: September 14, 1999.
Harold Lucas,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 99-24600 Filed 9-20-99; 8:45 am]
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