[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52666-52667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21022]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5194-N-14]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; Study 
of Capital Needs in the Public Housing Program

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection.

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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: November 10, 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., Room 4178, Washington, DC 20410-5000; 
telephone 202-402-8048 (this is not a toll-free number) or e-mail Ms. 
Deitzer at [email protected] for a copy of the proposed 
interview guides, survey instruments, or other available information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Schulhof, Office of Policy, 
Program and Legislative Initiatives, PIH, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Room 4116, Washington, DC 
20410; telephone 202-708-0713 (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: Study of Capital Needs in the Public Housing 
Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2577-pending.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: In 
response to a congressional request, the Department is conducting a 
study of the existing and accrual capital needs of the public housing 
stock. Through a combination of on-site inspections and Public Housing 
Authority (PHA) interviews, capital needs will be estimated at the 
national level for subcategories such as housing authority size 
(measured by number of ACC units) and region. The findings will be 
compared to those from an earlier study, Capital Needs of the Public 
Housing Stock in 1998: Formula Capital Study (January 30, 2000), to 
illustrate how existing and accrual needs have changed over time. The 
study is also required to investigate the feasibility of using Real 
Estate Assessment Center (REAC) inspections to facilitate ongoing 
estimates of public housing capital needs. The collected information 
will support budgeting, planning, and evaluation efforts by Congress 
and HUD.
    Agency form number, if applicable: Not applicable.
    Members of affected public: Staff from Public Housing Authorities 
included in the sample.
    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents: The total 
burden for data collection is estimated at 4,820 hours (4,400 hours for 
physical inspections of units and 420 hours for a PHA survey). Since 
the entire data collection period is

[[Page 52667]]

roughly six months within the same calendar year, the total burden 
hours are the same as the average annual burden hours. Each of the 550 
properties selected for inspection will need to provide a knowledgeable 
staff member to accompany the inspector during the 8 hour inspection. 
At each of the 140 PHAs selected, an average of three staff members 
(such as the executive director, director of modernization, engineer, 
or asset manager) will need to spend a combined total of approximately 
180 minutes responding to our information requests and follow-up 
questions.

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                                                                                       Total
                                                     Number of      Burden per      respondent         Total
                 Data collected                     respondents     respondent        burden        respondent
                                                                     (minutes)       (minutes)    burden (hours)
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Physical Inspections \1\........................             550             480         264,000           4,400
PHA Survey......................................             420              60          25,200             420
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             970            n.a.         289,200          4,820
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\1\ The physical inspection process is estimated to take about 8 hours per property. A building or property
  manager is expected to accompany the inspector during the inspection.

    Status of the proposed information collection: New collection.

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

    Dated: August 28, 2008.
Merrie Nichols-Dixon,
Director, Trouble Agency Recovery Operations.
 [FR Doc. E8-21022 Filed 9-9-08; 8:45 am]
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