[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 4, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24547-24548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10106]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Part 990

[Docket No. FR-4874-N-05]


Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee on the Operating Fund; 
Notice of Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of Negotiated Rulemaking Committee meeting.

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SUMMARY: This document announces a meeting of HUD's Negotiated 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee on the Operating Fund. The purpose of the 
committee is to provide advice and recommendations on developing a rule 
for effectuating changes to the Public Housing Operating Fund Program 
in response to the Harvard University Graduate School of Design's 
``Public Housing Operating Cost Study.''

DATES: The committee meeting will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 
11 and 12, 2004. Each day the meeting will start at approximately 8:30 
a.m. and run until approximately 5 p.m., unless the committee agrees 
otherwise.

ADDRESSES: The committee meeting will take place at the Westin 
Peachtree Plaza Hotel, 210 Peachtree Street, NW., Atlanta, Georgia 
30303-1704; telephone: (404) 659-1400 (this telephone number is not 
toll-free).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Kubacki, Director, Funding and 
Financial Management Division, Public and Indian Housing--Real Estate 
Assessment Center, Suite 800, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 1280 Maryland Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20024-2135; 
telephone (202) 708-4932 (this telephone number is not toll-free). 
Individuals with speech or hearing impairments may access this number 
through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service 
at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Through the Operating Fund program, HUD distributes operating 
subsidies to public housing agencies (PHAs). A regulatory description 
of the Operating Fund program can be found at 24 CFR part 990. The 
Operating Fund Formula regulations were developed through negotiated 
rulemaking procedures. Negotiated rulemaking for an Operating Fund 
Formula was initiated in March 1999, and resulted in a proposed rule, 
published on July 10, 2000 (65 FR 42488), which was followed by an 
interim rule published on March 29, 2001 (66 FR 17276). The March 29, 
2001, interim rule established the Operating Fund Formula that is 
currently in effect.
    During the negotiated rulemaking for the Operating Fund Formula, 
Congress in the Conference Report (H. Rept. 106-379, October 13, 1999) 
accompanying HUD's Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 Appropriation Act (Public Law 
106-74, approved October 20, 1999) directed HUD to contract with the 
Harvard University Graduate School of Design (Harvard GSD) to conduct a 
study on the costs incurred in operating well-run public housing. 
Harvard GSD issued a final report, the Harvard Cost Study, on June 6, 
2003. In Section 222 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Pub. 
L. 108-199, approved January 23, 2004), Congress directed the Secretary 
to conduct negotiated rulemaking with the publication of a final rule 
by July 1, 2004.
    On March 10, 2004, HUD published a document establishing a 
Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee on the Operating Fund 
(Committee) to provide advice and recommendations on developing a rule 
for effectuating changes to the Public Housing Operating Fund Program 
in response to the Harvard Cost Study. The first meeting of the 
Committee was held in Washington, DC on March 30, March 31, and April 
1, 2004. A second meeting was held, also in Washington, DC, on April 
13-15, 2004.

II. Committee Meeting

    This document announces a third meeting of the Committee. The 
Committee meeting will take place as described in the DATES and 
ADDRESSES section of this document.
    In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
Appendix) and the implementing regulations issued by the General 
Services Administration at 41 CFR part 102-3, HUD publishes notices in 
the Federal Register of an advisory committee meeting at least 15 
calendar days prior to the meeting. In this case HUD is providing less 
than 15-days advance notice due to exceptional circumstances. The 
Committee was originally scheduled to complete its work at the second 
meeting. Although great progress was made at the second meeting towards 
the development of a rule, the Committee determined that a third 
meeting would be necessary to complete its work. The time required to 
complete hotel reservations and other logistical arrangements prevented

[[Page 24548]]

publication of this meeting notice prior to today's date.
    The agenda planned for the meeting includes discussion of issues 
relating to the development of changes in response to the Harvard Cost 
Study. The meeting will be open to the public without advance 
registration. Public attendance may be limited to the space available. 
Members of the public may be allowed to make statements during the 
meeting, to the extent time permits, and file written statements with 
the committee for its consideration. Written statements should be 
submitted to the address listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section of this document.

    Dated: April 29, 2004.
William O. Russell,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Voucher Programs.
[FR Doc. 04-10106 Filed 5-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-33-P