[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73310-73311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24981]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau.

ACTION: Notice.

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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: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before February 25, 2008.

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 Requests for additional information or copies of 
the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be 
directed to Erica Filipek, U.S. Census Bureau, MCD, CENHQ Room 7K181, 
4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone (301) 763-5161 
(or via the Internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Census Bureau plans to request a revision of the current 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the Survey of 
Housing Starts, Sales and Completions, also known as the Survey of 
Construction (SOC). The SOC collects monthly data on new residential 
construction from a sample of owners or builders. The Census Bureau 
uses the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic 
questionnaires SOC-QI/SF.1 and SOC-QI/MF.1 to collect data on start and 
completion dates of construction, physical characteristics of the 
structure (floor area, number of bathrooms, type of heating system, 
etc), and if applicable, date of sale, sales price, and type of 
financing. The SOC provides widely used measures of construction 
activity, including the economic indicators Housing Starts and Housing 
Completions, which are from the New Residential Construction series, 
and New Residential Sales.
    The current clearance for this survey is scheduled to expire on 
June 30, 2009. We are rewriting the CAPI questionnaire software and are 
requesting approval to begin using the revised questionnaire in the 
field in early summer of 2008. The revised questionnaire will include 
about 5 new data items requested by data users. Other information which 
is no longer needed will be eliminated from the questionnaire. The 
overall length of the interview will not change.
    Census samples about 1,850 new buildings each month (22,200) per 
year. We inquire about the progress of each building multiple times 
until it is completed (and a sales contract is signed, if it is a 
single-family house that is built for sale). We conduct an average of 
7.9 interviews for each building sampled. The total number of 
interviews conducted each year is about 175,380. Each interview takes 5 
minutes on

[[Page 73311]]

average. Therefore the total annual burden is 14,615 hours.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau uses its field representatives to collect the 
data.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0110.
    Form Number: SOC-QI/SF.1 and SOC-QI/MF.1.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 22,200.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,615.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. 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: December 19, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-24981 Filed 12-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P