[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65121-65122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18785]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5041-N-44]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; Real 
Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Web Site Complaint 
Questionnaire

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 will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department 
is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES: Comments Due Date: January 8, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Lillian Deitzer, Reports 
Management Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 
7th Street, SW., L'Enfant Plaza Building, Room 8003, Washington, DC 
20410 or Lillian [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ivy Jackson, Director, Office of 
Interstate Land Sales and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 708-0502 (this is not a toll free 
number) for copies of the proposed forms and other available 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department is submitting the proposed 
information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended).
    This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: 
(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection 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 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: Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) 
Website Complaint Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number, if applicable: 2502--Pending.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act insures that consumers are 
provided with greater and timely information on the nature and costs of 
the settlement process and are protected from unnecessarily high 
settlement charges caused by abusive practices. The RESPA Web site 
Complaint Questionnaire will provide for a common Web site for 
consumers and settlement service providers to assist in the enforcement 
of RESPA. Members of the public may submit complaints to HUD. The 
Federal Government will use the disclosed information to investigate 
alleged violations of RESPA regulations by settlement service 
providers.
    HUD published this announcement previously in the Federal Register 
on November 8, 2005 (Vol. 70, No. 215, pages 67736-67737). HUD received 
comments from the American Land Title Association (ALTA) and the 
National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB). Generally, both 
commenters expressed support for increased enforcement of RESPA, but 
expressed concern that the Web site complaint could lead to improper 
investigations. Both stressed maintaining confidentiality. HUD 
responded that it currently receives complaints from individuals 
through other means, and that HUD intends to process complaints 
received through the Web site in the same manner as all other 
complaints.

[[Page 65122]]

    Agency form numbers, if applicable: HUD-1974.
    Estimation of the total numbers of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response: The number of respondents is estimated 
to be 1,246, generating approximately 1,869 responses annually. The 
frequency of response is on occasion, and the estimated time needed to 
prepare the response is approximately 0.33 hours, for total annual 
burden hours of 617.
    Status of the proposed information collection: This is a new 
collection.

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

    Dated: November 1, 2006.
Frank L. Davis,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing-Deputy Federal Housing 
Commissioner.
[FR Doc. E6-18785 Filed 11-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P