[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38513-38514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-13922]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4739-N-16]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Emergency Comment 
Request; HUD's Loss Mitigation Default Counseling Program Demonstration

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for emergency review and approval, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the 
subject proposal.

DATES: June 11, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments must be received within seven (7) days from the 
date of this Notice. Comments should refer to the proposal by name/or 
OMB approval number (pending) and should be sent to: Joseph F. Lackey, 
Jr., HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Eddins, Reports Management 
Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street, SW., L'Enfant Plaza Building, Room 8003, Washington, DC 20410; 
e-mail [email protected]; telephone (202) 708-2374. This is not a 
toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be 
obtained from Mr. Eddins.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice informs the public that the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has submitted to OMB, 
for emergency processing, an information collection package with 
respect to the documentation method to verify the voucher for 
reimbursement which will be used in HUD's Loss Mitigation Default 
Counseling Demonstration Program. Each of the Housing Counseling 
Agencies (HCAs) that are participating in the Demonstration will be 
eligible to be reimbursed each time a completed Loss Mitigation package 
is referred to one of the four lenders participating in the 
Demonstration. Each referral must be documented by the HCAs through a 
voucher form. HUD will reimburse the lender for each paid counseling 
claim. A single response to the information collection requirement 
would be required per default counseling referral.
    HUD's Loss Mitigation Default Counseling Demonstration offers one 
way to address the HCAs' chronic shortage of default counselors, the 
Department's need to test the effectiveness of early default 
intervention, provide counseling on predatory lending avoidance, and 
increase workouts in high default areas. The necessity for immediate 
use of new information collection requirements, which includes the use 
of a voucher form, is a critical factor to helping stabilize defaulted 
homeowners and reducing claim losses to FHA. HUD is requesting that OMB 
approves this information collection by June 10, 2002.
    This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affecting agencies concerning the proposed collection of information 
to: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) 
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; 
including through the use of appropriate automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    This Notice also lists the following information:
    Title Of Proposal: HUD's Loss Mitigation Default Counseling 
Demonstration.
    OMB Control Number: 2502--NEW.
    Agency Form Numbers: None.
    Members Of Affected Public: Four lenders participating in the 
Demonstration, the HUD approved Housing Counseling Agencies 
participating in this Demonstration.

[[Page 38514]]



Estimation of the Total Numbers of Hours Needed to Prepare the Information Collection Including Number of Respondents, Frequency of Responses, and Hours
                                                                       of Response
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                                                              Number of
                  Number of respondents                     responses per       Frequency of         Number of          Hours per       Estimated annual
                                                              respondent          responses          responses           response      burden (in hours)
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*11.....................................................              **749            Monthly               8,240               0.50             4,120
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*The number of parties: 4 lenders have volunteered to participate in this Demonstration and 7 Housing Counseling Agencies. Each will have dedicated
  staff assigned to work on this Demonstration.
**The actual burden on respondents varies widely because of the different levels of activity and size of FHA portfolio held by respondents.


    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: May 29, 2002.
Wayne Eddins,
Departmental Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-13922 Filed 6-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-27-M