[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8341-8342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2677]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5194-N-05]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; 
HOPE VI Public Housing Programs: Funding and Program Data Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: April 14, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name/or OMB 
Control number and should be sent to: Lillian L. Deitzer, Departmental 
Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone 
202-708-2374 (this is not a toll-free number) or e-mail Ms. Deitzer at 
[email protected] for a copy of the proposed form and other 
available information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Schulhof, Office of Policy, 
Programs and Legislative Initiatives, PIH, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington DC 20410, telephone 
202-402-4112, (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department will submit 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 of information 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 through 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: HOPE VI program.
    OMB Control Number: 2577-0208.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: 
Section 24 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as added by section 535 of 
the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-
276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved October 21, 1998) and revised by the HOPE 
VI Program Reauthorization and Small Community Main Street Rejuvenation 
and Housing Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-186, 117 Stat. 2685, approved 
December 16, 2003), establishes the HOPE VI program for the purpose of 
making assistance available on a competitive basis to public housing 
agencies (PHAs) in improving the living environment for public housing 
residents of severely distressed public housing projects through the 
demolition, rehabilitation, reconfiguration, or replacement of severely 
distressed public housing projects (or portions thereof); in 
revitalizing areas in which public housing sites are located, and 
contributing to the improvement of the surrounding community; in 
providing housing that avoids or decreases the concentration of very 
low-income families; and in building sustainable communities. In 
addition, the HOPE VI Program Reauthorization and Small Community Main 
Street Rejuvenation and Housing Act of 2003 added to the HOPE VI 
program the purpose of making assistance available on a competitive 
basis to small units of local government to develop affordable housing 
as part of Main Street rejuvenation projects. The program authorization 
was renewed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. L. 110-
161, approved December 26, 2007), which extends the program until 
September 30, 2008. Under this requirement, the Department only has a 
few months to award and obligate the 2008 funds or they will be 
returned to the Treasury.
    These information collections are required in connection with the 
annual publication in the Federal Register of Notices of Funding 
Availability (NOFAs), contingent upon available funding and 
authorization, which announce the availability of funds provided in 
annual appropriations for HOPE VI Revitalization, Demolition grants, 
and HOPE VI Main Street grants.
    Eligible public housing agencies (PHAs) (for HOPE VI Revitalization 
and Demolition) and eligible local units of government (for HOPE VI 
Main Street) interested in obtaining HOPE VI grants are required to 
submit applications to HUD, as explained in each program NOFA. The 
information collection conducted in the applications enables HUD to 
conduct a comprehensive, merit-based selection process in order to 
identify and select the applications to receive funding. With the use 
of HUD-prescribed forms, the information collection provides HUD with 
sufficient information to approve or disapprove applications.
    Applicants that are awarded HOPE VI grants are required to report 
on a quarterly basis on the sources and uses of all amounts expended 
for revitalization, demolition, or Main Street activities. HOPE VI 
Revitalization grantees use a fully-automated, Internet-based process 
for the submission of quarterly reporting information. HUD reviews and 
evaluates the collected information and uses it as a primary tool with 
which to monitor the status of HOPE VI Revitalization projects and the 
HOPE VI Revitalization program.
    Agency form numbers: HUD-52774, HUD-52780, HUD 52785, HUD-52787, 
HUD-52798, HUD-52790, HUD-52797, HUD-52799, HUD-52800, HUD-52825-A, 
HUD-52860-A, HUD-52861, HUD-53001-A, SF-424, SF-LLL, HUD-27061, HUD 
27300, HUD 2880, HUD 96010, and HUD 96011.
    Members of affected public: Public Housing Agencies.
    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response:
    For HOPE VI Revitalization Application: 30 respondents, once 
annually, 192 hours average per response results in a total annual 
reporting burden of 5,795.10 hours.
    For HOPE VI Demolition Applications: 34 respondents, once annually, 
40.25 hours average per

[[Page 8342]]

response results in a total annual reporting burden of 1,408.28 hours.
    For HOPE VI Main Street Applications: 15 respondents, once 
annually, 45 hours average per response results in a total annual 
reporting burden of 692.55 hours.
    For HOPE VI Revitalization Quarterly Reporting: 207 respondents, 4 
times annually, 20 hours average per response results in a total annual 
reporting burden of 16,560 hours.
    Grand total: These information collections, along with other Non-
NOFA information collection items required in connection with the HOPE 
VI program including budget updates, supportive services and relocation 
plans, and cost certificates result in an annual total reporting burden 
of 26,262.93 hours.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Extension of a 
Currently Approved Collection.

    Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: February 7, 2008.
Bessy M. Kong,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Program, and Legislative 
Initiatives.
[FR Doc. E8-2677 Filed 2-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P