[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12984-12985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5265]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR 5478-N-01]


Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of a Computer Matching Program 
Between HUD and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of a computer matching program between the HUD and VA.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as 
amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 
(Pub. L. 100-503), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (June 19, 1989, 54 FR 
25818), and OMB Bulletin 89-22, ``Instructions on Reporting Computer 
Matching Programs to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 
Congress and the Public,'' HUD is issuing a public notice of its intent 
to conduct a recurring computer matching program with VA to utilize 
HUD's Credit Alert Interactive Verification Response System (CAIVRS), 
with VA's debtor files. Additionally, the record to be matched section 
was updated to reflect HUD's new Privacy Act Systems of Records 
involved in the CAIVRS matching program. This update does not change 
the authority and the objectives of the existing HUD and VA computer 
matching program.

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of the matching program shall 
begin April 8, 2011 or 40 days from the date copies of the signed (by 
both HUD and VA's Data Integrity Boards (DIBs)) computer matching 
agreement is sent to both Housing of Congress and the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), whichever is later, providing no comments 
are received which will result in a contrary determination.
    Comments Due Date: April 8, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, HUD, 
451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 10276, Washington, DC 20410. 
Communications should refer to the above docket number and title. A 
copy of each communication submitted will be available for public 
inspection and copying between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at the above 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: From the ``Recipient Agency'' contact 
the Chief Privacy Officer, HUD, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 2256, 
Washington, DC 20410, telephone number (202) 402-8073. From the 
``Source Agency'' contact Jorgeana Williams, Debt Management Center, 
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal 
Building, Room 156E, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, MN 55111, telephone 
number (612) 970-5703. These are not toll-free numbers. A 
telecommunication device for hearing- and speech-impaired individuals 
(TTY) is available at (800) 877-8339 (Federal Information Relay 
Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HUD's data in the CAIVRS database includes 
delinquent debt information from the Department of Education, Veterans 
Affairs, Department of Justice, and the Small Business Administration. 
This match will allow prescreening of applicants for debts owed or 
loans guaranteed by the Federal government to ascertain if the 
applicant is delinquent in paying a debt owed to or insured by the 
Federal government for HUD or VA direct or guaranteed loans. Before 
granting a loan, the lending agency and/or the authorized lending 
institution will be able to prescreen the CAIVRS debtor files which 
contains the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of HUD and VA delinquent 
debtors and defaulters to verify that the loan applicant is not in 
default or delinquent on a direct or guaranteed loans of participating 
federal programs of either agency. As a result of the information 
produced by this match, the authorized users may not deny, terminate, 
or make a final decision of any loan assistance to an applicant or take 
other adverse action against such applicant, until an officer or 
employee of such agency has independently verified such information.
    Reporting of a Matching Program: In accordance with the Computer 
Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503), as 
amended, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Congress and the 
Public;'' copies of this notice and report are being provided to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Senate Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs, and the House Committee on Oversight 
and Government Reform.
    Authority: The matching program will be conducted pursuant to ``The 
Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-
503),'' as amended, and OMB Circular A-129 (Revised January 1993), 
Policies for Federal Credit Program and Non-Tax Receivables. One of the 
purposes of all Executive departments and agencies-including HUD-is to 
implement efficient management practices for Federal credit programs. 
OMB Circular A-129 was issued under the authority of the Budget and 
Accounting Act of 1921, as amended; the Budget and Accounting Act of 
1950, as amended; the Debt Collection Act of 1982, as amended; and, the 
Deficit Reduction Act of 1984, as amended.
    Objectives to Be Met by the Matching Program: The matching program 
will allow VA access to a system which permits prescreening of 
applicants for loans owed or guaranteed by the Federal government to 
ascertain if the applicant is delinquent in paying a debt owed to or 
insured by the Government. In addition, HUD will be provided access to 
VA debtor data for prescreening purposes.
    Records To Be Matched: HUD will use records from its systems of 
records HUD/SFH-01, Single Family Default Monitoring System; HUD/SFH-
02, Single Family Insurance System CLAIMS Subsystem; HUD/HS-55, Debt 
Collection Asset Management System; and HUD/HS-59, Single Family 
Mortgage Asset Recovery Technology. The debtor files for programs 
involved are included in these systems of records. HUD's debtor files 
contain information on borrowers and co-borrowers who are currently in 
default (at least 90 days delinquent on their loans) or who have had 
their partial claim subordinate mortgage called due and payable and it 
has not been repaid in full or who have any outstanding claims paid 
during the last three years on a Title I insured or guaranteed home 
mortgage loan. VA will provide HUD with data from 88VA244, Accounts 
Receivable Records--VA. The exchange of data is consistent with routine 
use 17 of 88VA244. The 88VA244, Accounts Receivable Records was 
originally published in the Federal Register on April 6, 1998 (63 FR 
16865). VA is responsible for the integrity of the data transmitted to 
HUD. VA will retain ownership and responsibility for their system of 
records that they place with HUD. HUD serves only as a record location 
and routine use recipient for VA's data.
    Notice Procedures: HUD and VA will notify individuals at the time 
of application (ensuring that routine use appears on the application 
form) for guaranteed or direct loans that their

[[Page 12985]]

records will be matched to determine whether they are delinquent or in 
default on a federal debt. HUD and VA will also publish notices 
concerning routine use disclosures in the Federal Register to inform 
individuals that a computer match may be performed to determine a loan 
applicant's credit status with the federal government.
    Categories of Records/Individuals Involved: The debtor records 
include these data elements: SSN, claim number, program code, and 
indication of indebtedness. Categories of records include: Records of 
claims and defaults, repayment agreements, credit reports, financial 
statements, and records of foreclosures. Categories of individuals 
include: Former mortgagors and purchasers of HUD-owned and home 
improvement loan debtors who are delinquent or default on their loans 
or who have had their partial claim subordinate mortgage called due and 
payable and it has not been repaid in full.
    Period of the Match: Matching is expected to begin at least 40 days 
from the date copies of the signed (by both HUD and VA's Data Integrity 
Boards) computer matching agreement are sent to both Houses of Congress 
or at least 30 days from the date this notice is published in the 
Federal Register, which ever is later, providing no comments are 
received which would result in a contrary determination. The matching 
program will be in effect and continue for 18 months with an option to 
renew the agreement for 12 additional months unless one of the parties 
to the agreement advises the other in writing to terminate or modify 
the agreement.

    Dated: February 28, 2011.
Kevin R. Cooke,
Deputy Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-5265 Filed 3-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P