[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31055-31056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12495]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

24 CFR Part 990

[Docket No. FR-4874-N-06]


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 June 8 and June 9, 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 Bolger Center, 
North Building, 9600 Newbridge Drive, Potomac, MD 20854-4436; 
telephone: (301) 983-7000 (this telephone number is not toll-free). For 
further information and directions to the Bolger Center, please go to 
the following Web site: http://www.bolgercenter.dolce.com.

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 (Pub. L. 
106-74, approved October 20, 1999) directed

[[Page 31056]]

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 Committee has met three 
times. The first meeting 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. The third Committee meeting was held on May 
11 and 12, 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia.

II. Committee Meeting

    This document announces a fourth 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 third 
meeting. Although great progress was made at the previous meeting 
towards the development of a rule, the Committee determined that a 
fourth meeting would be necessary to complete its work. The time 
required to complete hotel reservations and other logistical 
arrangements prevented 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 section 
of this document.

    Dated: May 27, 2004.
Deborah Hernandez,
Director, Office of Voucher Programs.
[FR Doc. 04-12495 Filed 6-1-04; 8:45 am]
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