[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45442-45443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15841]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5130-N-08]


Privacy Act; Proposed New Systems of Records, Real Estate 
Management System/Integrated Real Estate Management System (REMS/iREMS)

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Establish a new Privacy Act System of Records.

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SUMMARY: HUD proposes to establish a new record system to add to its 
inventory of systems of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 
U.S.C. 552a), as amended. The proposed new system of records is the 
Real Estate Management System (REMS/iREMS). The new record system is 
sponsored by HUD's Office of Multifamily Housing and will be used to 
provide regulatory control over HUD's multifamily housing portfolio, 
and to ensure compliance with HUD program requirements. REMS/iREMS will 
also serve as the Department's repository for HUD's property portfolios 
of insured, subsidized, HUD-held, HUD-owned, co-insured, elderly and 
disabled properties, and provides portfolio management for Section 8 
contracts, physical property inspection follow-up, and financial 
assessment reviews.

DATES: Effective Date: This action shall be effective without further 
notice on September 13, 2007 unless comments are received during or 
before this period that would result in a contrary determination.
    Comments Due Date: September 13, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., 
Room 10276, Washington, DC 20410-0500. Communications should refer to 
the above docket number and title. A copy of each communication 
submitted will be available for public inspection and copying between 8 
a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Departmental Privacy Act Officer, 
451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4178, Washington, DC 20410, telephone 
Number (202) 708-2374 or the System Owner, 451 Seventh Street, SW., 
Room 6232, Washington, DC 20410, telephone number (202) 402-3297. 
(These are not toll-free numbers.) Telecommunication device for hearing 
and speech-impaired individuals (TTY) is available at (800) 877-8339 
(Federal Information Relay Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11) provide 
that the public be afforded a 30-day period in which to comment on the 
new system of records, and require published notice of the existence 
and character of the system of records.
    The new system report was submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, and the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform pursuant to paragraph 4c of Appendix 1 to OMB 
Circular No. A-130, ``Federal Responsibilities for Maintaining Records 
About Individuals,'' July 25, 1994 (59 FR 37914).

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a, 88 Stat. 1896; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d).

    Dated August 7, 2007.
Bajinder Paul,
Acting, Chief Information Officer.
HUD/MFH-10

System Name:
    Real Estate Management System (REMS), effective Fiscal Year 2008 
the new system name will be Integrated Real Estate Management System 
(iREMS).

System Location:
    Charleston West Virginia, Philadelphia Pennsylvania (back-up 
facility).

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    External business partners approved to do Multifamily business with 
HUD (e.g., property owners, management agents, contract administrators, 
and owner/agent contacts. (Address, phone, fax, and e-mail)

Categories of Records in the System:
    Loan Servicing information, Section 8 subsidy contract renewals, 
property management reviews, physical condition of multifamily 
properties and ownership data, workload tracking of HUD staff, 
Departmental Enforcement Center tracking for corrective actions/
referrals, and participant/partner information. Within the participant 
data (owners, lessees, management agents, and sponsor/developers), the 
name, address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, and Tax ID 
Number or Social Security Number are stored.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    42 U.S.C. 3543, Section 165 of the Housing and Community 
Development Act, 24 CFR part 5(b).

Purposes:
    REMS/iREMS is HUD's multifamily property management tool for the 
Office of Multifamily Housing (MFH), the Departmental Enforcement 
Center (DEC), and the Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC). REMS 
provides regulatory control over HUD's Multifamily housing portfolio, 
and ensures compliance with HUD program requirements. REMS/iREMS data 
is the repository of HUD's data that define the property portfolio of 
insured, subsidized, HUD-held, HUD-owned, co-insured, elderly and 
disabled properties, and provides portfolio management for Section 8 
contracts, physical property inspection follow-up, and financial 
assessment reviews.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and the purposes of such uses:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, other routine uses of the data are to 
ensure compliance with HUD regulations and business agreements:
    (1) Office of Multifamily Housing--to define the portfolio of 
insured, subsidized, HUD-held, HUD-owned, co-insured, elderly and 
disabled properties; Provides portfolio management for Section 8 
contracts, physical inspection follow-up and financial assessment 
reviews; Track property status, loan status and characteristics, 
Section 8 contract renewals, and financial status of property owners.
    (2) Real Estate Assessment Center--to validate financial statement 
submissions and mortgagee inspections.
    (3) Departmental Enforcement Center and Office of Affordable 
Housing Preservation--to track property/owner corrective action 
referrals.
    (4) HUD Headquarters staff and Field Offices use data to uniquely 
identify program participants,
    (5) Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) receives 
monthly

[[Page 45443]]

extracts of participant data to confirm the status of active loans.
    (6) HUD Business Partners (Public Housing Authorities and Community 
Development Corporations serving as Performance-Based Contract 
Administrators (PBCAs)) will use the information to manage their 
assigned Section 8 contracts.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    The REMS/iREMS database is termed the Housing Enterprise Real 
Estate Management System (HEREMS) database. There are three HEREMS 
database servers: The main production DB server in Charleston WVA, a 
hot-backup copy which is updated several seconds behind the Charleston 
server, and a nightly created copy of the HEREMS DB from which 
standardized reports (created with Actuate) and Ad hoc reports (via MS 
Access) are retrieved. These files are stored on disk and backups are 
stored on tape. Manual files are stored in local field office per the 
records disposition schedule 18 in Handbook 2225.6 Rev-1.

Retrievability:
    Information is retrieved by Property identification or Contract ID. 
Within these, it is possible to use screen queries to drill down into 
other layers of subordinate data. In some cases, participant/partner 
information and security system access is via name, Taxpayer 
Identification Number (TIN) and/or Social Security Number (SSN). 
However, the Property Identification or Contract ID are the primary 
sources used to retrieve information from the REMS/iREMS.

Safeguards:
    Data can only be accessed via entry of a valid HUD User ID and 
Password. HUD Security access to REMS is controlled by the Web Access 
Subsystem (WASS), a common security module for multiple web-based 
applications.
    Manual records from forms and printed reports are secured and 
stored in an enclosed office space that is accessible only to HUD 
personnel with a need to use/know the records content. (i.e., Records 
are stored in cabinets in rooms to which access is restricted to those 
HUD/PBCA persons performing property asset management functions. 
Background screening, limited authorization to specific property and 
technical web-based restraints are employed with regard to accessing 
records.

Retention and Disposal:
    Property data, both current and historical is not archived or 
destroyed. Owner history data is maintained indefinitely to support 
enforcement actions and portfolio analysis. REMS/iREMS receives data 
primarily from other computer applications at HUD. Paper records are 
stored here or at the HUD Field Office. These systems follow the 
records disposition schedule defined in Appendix 18 of Handbook 2225.6 
Rev-1.

System Manager(s) and Address:
    Stephen A. Martin, Director, Office of Program Systems Management, 
Office of Multifamily Housing. Address: 451 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20410

Notification Procedures:
    For information, assistance, or inquiry about the existence of 
records, contact the Privacy Act Officer at the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4178, Washington, 
DC 20410, in accordance with the procedures in 24 CFR part 16.

Contesting Record Procedures:
    Include the following standard language: Procedures for the 
amendment or correction of records, and for applicants want to appeal 
initial agency determination appear in 24 CFR part 16. If additional 
information is needed, contact:
    (i) In relation to contesting contents of records, the Privacy Act 
Officer at HUD, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4178, Washington, DC 
20410; and,
    (ii) In relation to appeals of initial denials, HUD, Departmental 
Privacy Appeals Officer, Office of General Counsel, 451 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20410.

Record Source Categories:
    The sources of data are contractual agreements between HUD and 
property owners (e.g., Regulatory Agreement, Section 8 Housing 
Assistance Payments (HAP) contract) and memorandums to HUD from the 
business partners.

Exemptions from Certain Provisions of the Act:
    None.

[FR Doc. E7-15841 Filed 8-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P