[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 47 (Thursday, March 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 10716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5329]



[[Page 10716]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed collection; comments requested.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request 
an extension for a currently approved information collection in support 
of the program for the Housing Preservation Grant Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 11, 2009 to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Edwards-Jackson, Finance and 
Loan Analyst, Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Direct Loan 
Division, USDA Rural Development, Stop 0781, 1400 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0782, telephone (202) 690-0759 (voice) (this 
is not a toll free number) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD-Federal Information 
Relay Service) or via e-mail at, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: RHS/Housing Preservation Grant Program.
    OMB Number: 0575-0115.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2009.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The primary purpose of the Housing Preservation Grant 
Program is to repair or rehabilitate individual housing, rental 
properties, or co-ops owned or occupied by very low- and low-income 
rural persons. Grantees will provide eligible homeowners, owners of 
rental properties and owners of co-ops with financial assistance 
through loans, grants, interest reduction payments or other comparable 
financial assistance for necessary repairs and rehabilitation of 
dwellings to bring them up to code or minimum property standards.
    Where repair and rehabilitation assistance is not economically 
feasible or practical the replacement of existing, individual owner 
occupied housing is available.
    These grants were established by Public Law 98-181, the Housing 
Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983, which amended the Housing Act of 1979 
(Pub. L. 93-383) by adding section 533, 42 U.S.C. S 2490(m), Housing 
Preservation Grants (HPG). In addition, the Secretary of Agriculture 
has authority to prescribe rules and regulations to implement HPG and 
other programs under 42 U.S.C. S 1480(j).
    Section 533(d) is prescriptive about the information applicants are 
to submit to RHS as part of their application and in the assessments 
and criteria RHS is to use in selecting grantees. An applicant is to 
submit a ``statement of activity'' describing its proposed program, 
including the specific activities it will undertake, and its schedule. 
RHS is required in turn to evaluate proposals on a set of prescribed 
criteria, for which the applicant will also have to provide 
information, such as: (1) Very low- and low-income persons proposed to 
be served by the repair and rehabilitation activities; (2) 
participation by other public and private organizations to leverage 
funds and lower the cost to the HPG program; (3) the area to be served 
in terms of population and need: (4) cost data to assure greatest 
degree of assistance at lowest cost; (5) administrative capacity of the 
applicant to carry out the program. The information collected will be 
the minimum required by law and by necessity for RHS to assure that it 
funds responsible grantees proposing feasible projects in areas of 
greatest need. Most data are taken from a localized area, although some 
are derived from census reports of city, county and Federal governments 
showing population and housing characteristics.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .81 hours per response.
    Respondents: A public body or a public or private nonprofit 
corporation.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,258.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6.8.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12,517 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Linda 
Watts-Thomas, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch at (202 692-
0226).

Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
RHS, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) 
the accuracy of RHS's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection 
of information including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used; (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 those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments may be sent to Linda Watts-Thomas, Regulations and 
Paperwork Management Branch, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural 
Development, STOP 0742, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 
20250. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in 
the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: February 4, 2009.
James C. Alsop,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. E9-5329 Filed 3-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P