[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 57 (Monday, March 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13645-13646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7125]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4743-N-03]


Notice of Planned Closing of Topeka, Kansas Post-of-Duty Station

AGENCY: Office of Inspector General, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of planned closing of Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty 
station.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the HUD Office of 
Inspector General (OIG) is closing its Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty 
station, and also provides a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of the 
closure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Saddler, Counsel to the 
Inspector General, Room 8260, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410, (202) 708-
1613. (This is not a toll free number.) A telecommunications device for 
hearing- and speech-impaired persons (TTY) is available at 1-800-877-
8339 (Federal Information Relay Services). (This is a toll-free 
number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In 1998, HUD/OIG established a one-person post-of-duty station in 
Topeka, Kansas, to give direct support to the HUD/OIG's Operation Safe 
Home (OSH) initiative to combat violent and drug-related crime in 
public and assisted housing in Topeka and nearby communities. Although 
the Topeka post-of-duty station is only about 50 miles from HUD/OIG's 
Kansas City Regional Office, nationwide experience since the initiation 
of OSH in 1994 had proven that the best results/impact could be 
obtained when HUD/OIG Special Agents were physically located in the 
target city. However, in accordance with the requirements of the Fiscal 
Year 2002 HUD Appropriations Act (Pubic Law 107-73, approved November 
26, 2001), HUD/OIG is terminating OSH and re-deploying staff to focus 
on investigations involving single-family fraud and property flipping. 
This change eliminates the need to maintain a separate post-of-duty 
station in Topeka, Kansas, and gives HUD/OIG the opportunity to 
generate cost savings associated with discontinuing an additional 
office.
    Section 7(p) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act 
(42 U.S.C. 3535(p)) provides that a plan for field reorganization, 
which may involve the closing of any field or regional office, of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development may not take effect until 
90 days after a cost-benefit analysis of the effect of the plan on the 
office in question is published in the Federal Register. The required 
cost-benefit analysis should include: (1) An estimate of cost savings 
anticipated; (2) an estimate of the additional cost which will result 
from the reorganization; (3) a discussion of the impact on the local 
economy; and (4) an estimate of the effect of the reorganization on the 
availability, accessibility, and quality of services provided for 
recipients of those services.
    Legislative history pertaining to section 7(p) indicates that not 
all reorganizations are subject to the requirements of section 7(p). 
Congress stated that ``[t]his amendment is not intended to [apply] to 
or restrict the internal operations or organization of the Department 
(such as the

[[Page 13646]]

establishment of new or combination of existing organization units 
within a field office, the duty stationing of employees in various 
locations to provide on-site service, or the establishment or closing, 
based on workload, of small, informal offices such as valuation 
stations).'' (See House Conference Report No. 95-1792, October 14, 1978 
at 105-106.)
    The two-person duty station in Topeka, Kansas, is a single-purpose 
duty station, and the duty station is being closed based on workload 
rather than on a reorganization of HUD/OIG field offices. Although 
notice of the closing of a duty station is not subject to the 
requirement of section 7(p), as supported by legislative history, HUD/
OIG nevertheless prepared a cost-benefit analysis for its own use in 
determining whether to proceed with the closing. Through this notice, 
HUD/OIG advises the public of the closing of the Topeka, Kansas duty 
station and provides the cost-benefit analysis of the impact of the 
closure.

Impact of the Closure of the Topeka, Kansas Post-of-Duty Station

    HUD/OIG considered the costs and benefits of closing the Topeka, 
Kansas post-of-duty, and is publishing its cost-benefit analysis with 
this notice. In summary, HUD/OIG has determined that the closure will 
result in a cost savings, and, as a result of the size and limited 
function of the office, will cause no appreciable impact on the 
provision of authorized investigative services/activities in the area 
(i.e., OSH activities, of course, will be impacted, but HUD/OIG has 
been directed to terminate these activities).

Cost-Benefit Analysis

    A. Cost Savings: The Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty currently costs 
$21,415 per year in lease and other expenses. Thus, closing the post-
of-duty will result in an annual savings of at least $21,415. In 
addition, by closing the office HUD/OIG will not be required to incur 
additional costs associated with current plans to install high-speed 
computer access lines to and on the premises, nor will HUD/OIG incur 
costs associated with the lease or purchase of duplicative office 
equipment.
    B. Additional Costs: There are no offsetting expenses anticipated. 
The Special Agent assigned to the Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty will be 
reassigned to the Kansas City Regional Office, without need for 
relocation reimbursement. Further, there is adequate existing office 
space to accommodate the Special Agent within the Kansas City Regional 
Office.
    C. Impact on Local Economy: The Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty office 
space comprises a mere 1,162 square feet of space, which can easily be 
re-leased to other tenants. Thus, no appreciable impact on the local 
economy is anticipated.
    D. Effect on Availability, Accessibility and Quality of Services 
Provided to Recipients of Those Services: The establishment of the 
Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty was based entirely on the needs of the HUD/
OIG to have a Special Agent in closer proximity to OSH activities 
conducted in the Topeka area. These activities are being terminated. 
Further, as was the case prior to 1998, fraud investigations in the 
Topeka area can be cost effectively addressed by agents assigned to the 
Kansas City Regional Office, which is about 50 miles away.
    For the reasons stated in this notice, HUD/OIG intends to proceed 
to close its Topeka, Kansas post-of-duty station at the expiration of 
the 90-day period from the date of publication of this notice.

    Dated: March 15, 2002.
Michael P. Stephens,
Deputy Inspector General.
[FR Doc. 02-7125 Filed 3-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-78-P