[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8838-8839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2364]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Survey of Residential Alterations and Repairs

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 24, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Joseph Huesman, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2125 
Building 4, Washington, DC 20233-6916, (301) 763-4822 (or via the 
Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request an extension of the currently 
approved Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the Survey 
of Residential Alterations and Repairs, also known as the (SORAR). 
SORAR collects monthly data on expenditures for residential 
improvements and repairs from owners or designated representatives of 
rental and vacant housing units. This segment of the economy amounted 
to more than $199 billion in 2004.
    The Census Bureau also conducts the Consumer Expenditures Survey to 
collect data for improvement and repairs to owner-occupied residential 
properties. The Census Bureau

[[Page 8839]]

publishes estimates from these two sources in the C50 Series, 
Expenditures for Residential Improvements and Repairs. These estimates 
are used by a variety of private businesses and trade associations for 
marketing studies, economic forecasts, and assessments of the 
remodeling and construction industries. They also help governments 
evaluate economic policy. For example, the Bureau of Economic Analysis 
uses these statistics to develop the structures component of gross 
private domestic investment in the national income and product 
accounts.

II. Method of Collection

    The universe for this survey is the owners or designated 
representatives of the more than 40 million rental and vacant housing 
units in the United States. A sample of these owners, as identified in 
the Consumer Expenditure Survey, is mailed the SORAR-705 form. They are 
asked to report detailed alterations, improvement, and repair 
expenditures for their entire property.
    Approximately 4,000 owners are sampled each month. The sample 
design uses a rotation procedure that replaces one-twelfth of the 
sample survey each month. The data collected will continue to be 
adjusted for unreturned or unusable forms by region and metropolitan 
statistical area (MSA). The weights are adjusted so that sample counts 
of renter occupied and vacant housing units agree with independently 
derived controls from the Current Population Survey.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0130.
    Form Number: SORAR-705.
    Type of Review: Regular Review.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, Businesses or Other for 
Profit, and State or Local Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 12,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The cost to the respondents is 
estimated to be $120,000.
    Respondents Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 14, 2006.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-2364 Filed 2-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P