[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 219 (Monday, November 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61819-61820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29628]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Questionnaire for Building Permit Official

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 14, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5027, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at LE[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to G. Daniel Sansbury, Census Bureau, Room 2105, FOB 
4, Washington, DC 20233-6900, (301) 457-1321.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau uses the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing 
(CAPI) electronic questionnaire SOC-QBPO to collect information from 
state and local building permit officials, such as (1) the types of 
permits they issue, (2) the length of time a permit is valid, (3) how 
they store the permits, and (4) the geographic coverage of the permit 
system. We need this information to carry out the sampling for the 
Survey of Housing Starts, Sales and Completions (OMB number 0607-0110), 
also known as the Survey of Construction (SOC). The SOC provides widely 
used

[[Page 61820]]

measures of construction activity, including the economic indicators 
Housing Starts, Housing Completions, and New Housing Sales.
    We plan no changes to the information collection methodology. We 
have increased the number of respondents from 835 to 900 due to local 
changes in municipal laws. The land area covered by the survey has not 
increased, but when a municipality decides to begin issuing its own 
permits independently from the jurisdiction that previously covered 
their permits (usually a county government), that new municipality 
becomes part of the survey.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau uses its field representatives to obtain 
information on the operating procedures of a permit office. The field 
representative visits the permit office, conducts the interview, and 
completes the electronic form.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0125.
    Form Number: SOC-QBPO.
    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: State and Local Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 900.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 225 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to the respondent 
is $3,658 based on an average hourly salary of $16.26 \1\ for state and 
local government employees.
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    \1\ Taken from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State and 
Local Government Employment March 1998.
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    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: November 8, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-29628 Filed 11-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P