[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 20, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 38194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15342]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Part 985

[Docket No. FR-3986-N-03]


Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP); Lifting of Stay 
of Certain Regulatory Sections

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

ACTION: Final rule; lifting of stay.

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SUMMARY: On September 10, 1998, HUD published its final rule for the 
Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP). The final rule took 
effect October 13, 1998, and Sec. 985.102 (SEMAP profile); Sec. 985.103 
(SEMAP score and overall performance rating); Secs. 985.105(a), 
985.105(b), 985.105(d) and 985.105(e) (HUD SEMAP responsibilities); and 
Sec. 985.107 (Required actions for PHA with troubled performance 
rating) were stayed until further notice. This document lifts the stay 
for these sections.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The stay is lifted for 24 CFR 985.102, 0985.103, 
985.105(a), 985.105(b), 985.105(d), 985.105(e), and 985.107 as of 
August 1, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerald J. Benoit, Director, Real 
Estate and Housing Performance Division, Office of Public and Indian 
Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Room 4220, 451 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410-8000; telephone number (202) 
708-0477 (this is not a toll-free telephone number). Hearing or speech 
impaired individuals may access this number via TTY by calling the 
toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 10, 1998 (63 FR 48548), HUD 
published its final rule for the Section 8 Management Assessment 
Program (SEMAP). SEMAP provides for objective measurement of the 
performance of a public housing agency (PHA) in key areas of the 
Section 8 tenant-based assistance program. SEMAP enables HUD to ensure 
program integrity and accountability by identifying PHA management 
capabilities and deficiencies and by improving risk assessment to 
effectively target monitoring and program assistance. PHAs can use the 
SEMAP performance analysis to assess their own program operations.
    The ``effective date'' section of the September 10, 1998 final rule 
noted that the rule took effect October 13, 1998, with the following 
sections stayed as of October 13, 1998, until further notice: 
Sec. 985.102 (SEMAP profile); Sec. 985.103 (SEMAP score and overall 
performance rating); paragraphs (a), (b), (d) and (e) of Sec. 985.105 
(HUD SEMAP responsibilities), and Sec. 985.107 (Required actions for 
PHA with troubled performance rating).
    The preamble to the September 10, 1998 SEMAP final rule explained 
why these sections were stayed on October 13, 1998. The preamble 
explained that HUD would publish a Federal Register notice of the 
effective date of the full implementation of SEMAP when HUD determined 
that independent verification methods for the SEMAP indicators are 
properly implemented. (See 63 FR 48549, first column, second full 
paragraph.) HUD has determined that these methods have been properly 
implemented and this document provides notice that the stay is lifted 
on Secs. 985.102, 985.103, 985.105(a), 985.105(b), 985.105(d), 
985.105(e), and 985.107 as of August 1, 2000.
    HUD expects that the first PHAs to be rated under SEMAP will be 
PHAs with fiscal years July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000. The first ratings 
are expected to be assigned in fall 2000.

    Dated: June 12, 2000.
Harold Lucas,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 00-15342 Filed 6-19-00; 8:45 am]
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