[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7576-7577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2386]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. 5189-N-01]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Comment Request; 
Certification and Funding of State and Local Fair Housing Enforcement 
Agencies

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement concerning the 
certification and funding of State and local fair housing enforcement 
agencies 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: April 8, 2008.

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 L. Deitzer, Reports 
Management Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 
7th Street, SW., Room 4178, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 402-
8048 (this is not a toll-free number) for copies of the proposed forms 
and other available information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth J. Carroll, Director, Fair 
Housing Assistance Program, Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th 
Street, SW., Room 5222, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 402-7044. 
(This is not a toll-free number). Hearing or speech-impaired 
individuals may access this number TTY by calling the toll-free Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8399.

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 34, as amended).
    This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: 
(1) Enhance the certification and funding of State and local fair 
housing enforcement agencies, (2) Enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (3) Minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who respond; including the 
use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.

Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB

    Title of Proposal: Certification and Funding of State and Local 
Fair Housing Enforcement Agencies.
    Office: Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
    OMB Control Number: 2529-0005.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use:

A. Request for Substantial Equivalence

    State and local fair housing enforcement agencies that are seeking 
certification in accordance with Section 810(f) of the federal Fair 
Housing Act (the FHA) submit a request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. The request must be supported by 
the text of the jurisdiction's fair housing law, the law creating and 
empowering the agency, all laws referenced in the jurisdiction's fair 
housing law, any regulations and directives issued under the law, and 
any formal opinions of the State Attorney General or the chief legal 
officer of the jurisdiction that pertain to the jurisdiction's fair 
housing law. A request shall also include organizational information of 
the agency responsible for administering and enforcing the law.

B. Information Related to Agency Performance

    Once agencies are participating in the FHAP, HUD collects 
sufficient information to monitor agency performance in accordance with 
24 CFR 115.206, which sets forth the performance standards for agencies 
participating in the FHAP. These standards are meant to ensure that the 
state or local law, both ``on its face'' and ``in operation,'' provides 
substantive rights, procedures, remedies, and judicial review 
procedures for alleged discriminatory housing practices that are 
substantially equivalent to those provided in the FHA. In addition, HUD 
collects sufficient information to monitor agency compliance with 24 
CFR 115.307 and 24 CFR 115.308, which set forth requirements for FHAP 
participation and reporting and record keeping requirements including, 
but not limited to, the requirement that FHAP agencies use HUD's 
official complaint data information system, and input complaint 
processing information into that system in a timely manner.
    Frequency of Submission: The Department estimates that requests for 
substantial equivalence will have the following reporting burdens:

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                                     Number of              Annual              Hours of
                                    respondents     x     responses      x      response      =    Burden hours
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Reporting Burden................              40   ..               4   ..              10   ..           1,600
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    The Department estimates that reporting information related to 
agency performance will have the following reporting burdens:

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                                     Number of              Annual              Hours of
                                    respondents     x     responses      x      response      =    Burden hours
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Reporting Burden................             106   ..              33   ..              20   ..          69,960
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[[Page 7577]]

    Total Estimated Burden Hours: 71,560.
    Status: Extension of currently approved collection.

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

    Dated: February 5, 2008.
Lynn M. Grosso,
Director, Office of Enforcement, Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity.
[FR Doc. E8-2386 Filed 2-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P