[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 203 (Tuesday, October 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60111-60112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26475]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4707-N-09]


Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS): Physical Condition 
Scoring Process and Financial Condition Scoring Process

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises public housing agencies (PHAs) and the 
public that HUD will extend the use of four elements that were part of 
the interim scoring processes for the Public Housing Assessment System 
(PHAS) Physical Condition Indicator. HUD adopted interim scoring 
processes for two of the four PHAS indicators `` Physical Condition and 
Financial Condition--by notice published in the Federal Register on 
March 15, 2002, and described in notices published in the Federal 
Register on November 26, 2001. Except for the four elements that are 
being extended, the Physical Condition and Financial Condition 
Indicators for PHAs with fiscal years ending on and after September 30, 
2003, will be scored in accordance with the Physical Condition Scoring 
Process notice published on June 28, 2000, and the Financial Condition 
Scoring Process notice published on December 21, 2000.
    After consideration, the Department has determined not to implement 
the proposed rule for PHAS. The current PHAS is now fully operational 
and is providing complete and official assessment scores. Beginning 
with the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, PHAs were scored under 
the four PHAS indicators, rather than issued an advisory score. Since 
that time, the Department has increased its PHAS-related quality 
assurance activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact the 
Office of Public and Indian Housing Real Estate Assessment Center (PIH-
REAC), Attention: Wanda Funk, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW., Suite 800, Washington DC 20024; 
telephone the Technical Assistance Center at 1-888-245-4860 (this is a 
toll free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may 
access that number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal 
Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On March 15, 2002 (67 FR 11844), HUD published a notice adopting 
PHAS interim scoring processes for PHAs with fiscal years ending 
September 30, 2001, December 31, 2001, March 31, 2002, June 30, 2002, 
and September 30, 2002. In that notice, HUD announced interim changes 
in the scoring methodology for two of the four PHAS assessment 
indicators: the Physical Condition Indicator and Financial Condition 
Indicator. Detailed information about the changes to the scoring 
processes was provided in notices published in the Federal Register on 
November 26, 2001. The Introduction notice is published at 66 FR 59080. 
The Physical Condition Scoring Process Interim Scoring notice is 
published at 66 FR 59084. The Financial Condition Scoring Process 
Interim Assessments notice is published at 66 FR 59126. A notice 
published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2002 (67 FR 55860), 
extended the interim scoring methodologies to apply to PHAs with fiscal 
years ending December 31, 2002, March 31, 2003 and June 30, 2003.

II. Physical Condition Scoring Process and Financial Condition Scoring 
Process

    At the time that the interim scoring processes were adopted on 
March 15, 2002, the Department advised that if an extension of the 
interim period were necessary, the Department would notify PHAs and the 
public by notice published in the Federal Register. The Department will 
extend the following four elements of the November 26, 2001 notice for 
PHAs with fiscal years ending on and after September 30, 2003:
    1. The Item Weights and Criticality Levels, Appendix 1 to the 
Physical Condition Scoring Notice of November 26, 2001, 66 FR 59090-
59102;
    2. The Dictionary of Deficiency Definitions, Appendix 2 to the 
Physical Condition Scoring Notice of November 26, 2001, 66 FR 59102-
59124;
    3. The sampling weights for buildings explained in the section 
entitled ``16. Examples of Sampling Weights for Buildings'' of the 
November 26, 2001 notice, 66 FR 59088; and
    4. As stated in the November 26, 2001 notice, 66 FR 59081, the 
overall PHAS Indicator 1 score will continue to determine the 
frequency of inspections of a PHA's portfolio. For PHAs whose PHAS 
Indicator 1 score is 24 or higher based on the 30 point score, 
physical inspections will be conducted every two years (subject to any 
changes made in further revisions to the rule or scoring notices). For 
PHAs whose PHAS Indicator 1 score is less than 24 based on the 
30 point score, physical inspections will be conducted annually.
    With respect to all other elements of the November 26, 2001 interim 
scoring methodologies, the Department has determined that an extension 
of the interim period is not necessary, and by this notice is notifying 
PHAs and the public that PHAs having fiscal years ending on and after 
September 30, 2003, the PHAS scores will be issued for effect based on 
the scoring notices published in the Federal Register prior to the 
publication of the November 26, 2001, notices. The prior Physical 
Condition Scoring Process notice was published on June 28, 2000 (65 FR 
39988). The prior Financial Condition Scoring

[[Page 60112]]

Process notice was published on December 21, 2000 (65 FR 80686).

III. Applicable Regulations and Notices

    Itemized in the chart below are the applicable regulations and 
scoring process notices that, together with the four elements extended 
by this notice, govern the assessment and scoring of PHAs under the 
PHAS for PHAs with fiscal years ending September 30, 2003 and after.

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                    Item                             Publication date              Federal Register Page No.
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Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS)      January 11, 2000................  65 FR 1738.
 Amendments; Final Rule.
Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS):     June 6, 2000....................  65 FR 36042.
 Technical Correction; Final Rule.
Public Housing Assessment System Physical    June 28, 2000...................  65 FR 39988.
 Condition Scoring Process; Notice.
Public Housing Assessment System; Financial  December 21, 2000...............  65 FR 80686.
 Condition Scoring Process; Notice.
Public Housing Assessment System Management  June 28, 2000...................  65 FR 40028.
 Operations Scoring Process for PHAs With
 Fiscal Years Ending On or After March 31,
 2000; Notice.
Public Housing Assessment System...........  June 28, 2000...................  65 FR 40034.
Resident Service and Satisfaction Scoring
 Process; Notice.
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    Dated: October 10, 2003.
Michael Liu,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 03-26475 Filed 10-20-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-33-P