[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65721-65722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30529]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4497-N-03]


Notice Clarifying Manual Submissions and Extension Requests Under 
the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS)

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, and Office of the Director of the Real Estate Assessment 
Center, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides additional information to public housing 
agencies, and members of the public, regarding HUD's process for 
approving a PHA's request for manual submission of a PHA's unaudited 
year-end financial, management operations and/or resident service and 
satisfaction information, and a PHA's request for an extension for the 
submission of its unaudited year-end financial and/or management 
operations information under the PHAS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Wanda 
Funk, Real Estate Assessment Center, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20024-
2135; telephone Customer Service Center at 1-888-245-4860 (this is a 
toll free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may 
access that number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-800-877-8339. This information is available from the Real 
Estate Assessment Center (REAC) Internet Site at http://www.hud.gov/
reac.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Purpose of This Notice

    The purpose of this notice is to provide additional information 
about HUD's process for approving a PHA's request for the manual 
submission of a PHA's unaudited year-end financial, management 
operations and/or resident service and satisfaction information, as 
well as a PHA's request for an extension for the submission of its 
unaudited year-end financial and/or management operations information 
under the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS). HUD published two 
notices in the Federal Register on June 23, 1999, regarding the Public 
Housing Assessment System, Management Operation Scoring Process, and 
the Public Housing Assessment System, Resident Service and Satisfaction 
Scoring Process (64 FR 33708 and 64 FR 33712, respectively). Both 
notices addressed how a PHA may request approval for manual submission 
of management operations and/or resident service and satisfaction 
information (see 64 FR 33708 and 64 FR 33712). For the convenience of 
PHAs, this notice repeats the information concerning the process for 
requesting approval of manual submission of management operations and/
or resident service and satisfaction information.
    In addition to the two notices referenced above, HUD's final rule 
on Uniform Financial Reporting Standards for HUD Housing Programs, 
published September 1, 1998 (63 FR 46582), provided in 
Sec. 5.801(b)(2), that with respect to year-end financial information 
required to be submitted electronically in accordance with the 
requirements of Sec. 5.801, HUD would consider non-electronic 
submission if HUD determined that the burden or cost of electronic 
reporting is excessive. PHAs that would like to submit year-end 
financial information manually may request manual submission in 
accordance with the process provided for manual submission of 
management operations and/or resident service and satisfaction 
information.
    In addition to requests for manual submission, HUD's final rule on 
Uniform Financial Reporting Standards for HUD Housing Programs, 
published September 1, 1998 (63 FR 46582), provided in the preamble to 
the rule that HUD would consider extensions of submission due date for 
all entities submitting their first financial reports. The preamble 
provides that requests for extensions are to be directed to HUD's Real 
Estate Assessment Center (REAC). The preamble, however, did not 
describe the process for making such requests (see 63 FR 46588). This 
notice, published today, provides a process for a PHA to request an 
extension for the submission of its year-end financial information, 
similar to that for which requests for manual submissions of 
information are to be made.

2. Manual Submission of Unaudited Year-End Financial, Management 
Operations and/or Resident Service and Satisfaction Information

    Under the PHAS, a PHA is required to electronically submit its 
unaudited year-end financial, management operations and/or resident 
service and satisfaction information. If a PHA does not have this 
capability in-house, the PHA should consider utilizing local resources, 
such as the library or another local government entity that has 
internet access. In the event local resources are not available, a PHA 
may go to the nearest HUD Public Housing program office and assistance 
will be given to the PHA to transmit its year-end financial, management 
operations and/or resident service and satisfaction information.
    As provided in the June 23, 1999, notices, REAC will consider 
manual submission requests of unaudited year-end financial, management 
operations and/or resident service and satisfaction information. A PHA 
may request approval to submit its unaudited year-end financial, 
management operations and/or resident service and satisfaction 
information manually if the PHA can support the claim that the 
electronic submission requirement poses an administrative and/or cost 
burden.
    As stated in the notice published on June 23, 1999 (64 FR 33708), a 
PHA that seeks approval to manually submit its information to REAC on 
unaudited year-end financial information, management operations and/or 
resident service and satisfaction information must ensure that the REAC 
receives its written

[[Page 65722]]

request for manual submission 60 calendar days prior to the submission 
due date for each of these information components (unaudited year-end 
financial information, management operations information, and resident 
service and satisfaction information). A PHA must forward its manual 
submission request in writing, to the Real Estate Assessment Center, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW, 
Suite 800, Washington, DC 20024-2135, Attention: Manual Submission PHA 
Finance Team.
    For PHAs with a fiscal year-end date of September 30, 1999, REAC 
will not require that manual submission requests must be submitted 60 
calendar days prior to the submission due date for the information. 
REAC requests, however, that these PHAs forward their manual submission 
requests to the above-mentioned address as soon as possible, prior to 
their submission due date. A PHA's written request for a manual 
submission must include a justification as to why the electronic 
submission of information will pose an administrative and/or cost 
burden on the PHA.
    The REAC will respond to the PHA's request and will forward its 
determination in writing to the PHA. Approvals are for the PHA's 
current reporting period only.

3. Extension Requests for the Submission of Year-End Financial and 
Management Operations Information

    HUD will consider extension requests for the electronic submission 
of a PHA's unaudited financial and/or management operations 
information. To receive an extension, a PHA must ensure that the REAC 
receives the PHA's extension request (electronic or written) 15 
calendar days before the submission due date of its unaudited year-end 
financial and/or management operations information. REAC will only 
consider requests for extensions relative to financial reporting if a 
PHA can demonstrate that it is unable to meet the requirements 
referenced in the Uniform Financial Reporting Standards for HUD Housing 
Programs (24 CFR Part 5, Subpart H) as a result of unusual 
circumstances beyond its control.
    The extension request (electronic or written) must include a 
justification as to why the PHA cannot submit the information by the 
submission due date. The REAC will respond to the PHA's request and 
will forward its determination (electronic or written) to the PHA.
    An electronic extension request may be submitted by contacting the 
REAC's Customer Service Center at http://www.hud.gov/reafin.html.

    Dated: November 17, 1999.
Harold Lucas,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
Donald J. LaVoy,
Acting Director, Real Estate Assessment Center.
[FR Doc. 99-30529 Filed 11-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-33-P