[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5565-5566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2224]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Report of Building or Zoning Permits Issued for New 
Privately-Owned Housing Units.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0094.
    Form Number(s): C-404.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 17,539.
    Number of Respondents: 19,375.
    Average Hours per Response: 9 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The Census Bureau is requesting a three-year 
extension of a currently approved collection of the Form C-404, 
otherwise known as the Building Permits Survey (BPS), with minor 
revisions to the data collection form.
    The Census Bureau produces statistics used to monitor activity in 
the large and dynamic construction industry. Given the importance of 
this industry, several of the statistical series are key economic 
indicators. Three such series are dependent on the BPS: (1) Housing 
Units Authorized by Building Permits, (2) Housing Starts, and (3) New 
One-Family Houses Sold. These statistics help state, local, and federal 
governments, as well as private industry, analyze this important sector 
of the economy. The building permit series are available monthly based 
on a sample of building permit offices, and annually based on the 
entire universe of permit offices. Published data from the survey can 
be found on the Census Bureau's Web site at http://www.census.gov/permits.
    The Census Bureau collects these data primarily by mail using the 
Form C-404. Data are also collected via Internet web pages and receipt 
of electronic files. Form C-404 requests information on the number and 
valuation of new residential housing units authorized by building 
permits. The current form is titled ``Report of New Privately-Owned 
Residential Building or Zoning Permits Issued''. We plan to change the 
title to ``Report of Building or Zoning Permits Issued for New 
Privately-Owned Housing Units'' to clarify the data being requested.
    The proposed form includes several minor changes to the version of 
Form C-404 currently in use. Item 2 of the current form instructs 
respondents to provide details about geographic coverage changes in the 
Comments section; on the proposed new form, there are spaces in Item 2 
itself to enter the same information. The checkboxes in Item 3a were 
revised for clarity, and Item 3f (the total of Items 3b-3e) was removed 
because we determined that respondents need not calculate these totals. 
The limit on the dollar valuation of permits which require additional 
information in Item 4 was adjusted for inflation. Other minor 
improvements were made to the format and layout of the form. The 
instructions on the back of the form were also modified to improve 
their clarity and completeness. These changes to the form will not have 
a measurable effect on respondent burden.
    The Census Bureau uses the Form C-404 to collect data that will 
provide estimates of the number and valuation of new residential 
housing units authorized by building permits. About one-half of the 
permit offices are

[[Page 5566]]

requested to report monthly. The remainder is surveyed once per year. 
We use the data, a component of the index of leading economic 
indicators, to estimate the number of housing units started, completed, 
and sold (single-family only). The Census Bureau also uses these data 
to select samples for its demographic surveys. In addition, the Census 
Bureau uses the detailed geographic data in the development of annual 
population estimates which are used by government agencies to allocate 
funding and other resources to local areas. Policymakers, planners, 
businessmen/women, and others use the detailed geographic data to 
monitor growth and plan for local services, and to develop production 
and marketing plans. The BPS is the only source of statistics on 
residential construction for states and smaller geographic areas.
    Affected Public: State, local or Tribal governments.
    Frequency: Monthly and annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or e-mail ([email protected]).

    Dated: January 29, 2010.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-2224 Filed 2-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P