[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59711-59712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24813]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5480-N-97]


Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB 
Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative Fee Study Pretest

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below has been 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.
    The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the federal 
government's largest low-income housing assistance program. As of 2010, 
the Housing Choice Voucher program serves more than 2 million 
households, at a total subsidy cost of $18.2 billion per year. The HCV 
program is administered federally by the U.S. Department of Housing and 
Urban Development and locally by approximately 2,400 local, state, and 
regional housing agencies, known collectively as public housing 
agencies (PHAs). Funding for the HCV program is provided entirely by 
the federal government. The funding that PHAs receive includes the 
housing subsidy itself, plus administrative fees to cover the costs of 
running the

[[Page 59712]]

program. When the voucher program was first implemented in the 1970s, 
the system for reimbursing PHAs for the costs of program administration 
was loosely based on empirical evidence. Over time, however, the system 
for estimating and allocating fees has become more complex and--in some 
ways--more arbitrary, as HUD and Congress have tried to balance 
fairness with cost savings, while trying to avoid large year-to-year 
swings in funding for PHA staffs. The Housing Choice Voucher Program 
Administrative Fee Study is designed to evaluate the amount of funding 
needed to administer the voucher program based on direct measurement of 
the work actually performed by voucher administrators. The study will 
measure and identify the tasks performed by PHA staff to meet program 
requirements, to assist voucher holders in finding and renting suitable 
housing in a timely way, and to ensure that a broad range of affordable 
rental housing throughout the community is available to voucher 
families. The study will identify the costs involved in each task, 
including salaries, benefits, and overhead. Ultimately, the findings of 
the study will be used to inform the development of a new formula for 
allocating HCV program administrative fees.

DATES: Comments Due Date: October 27, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
approval Number (2528-0267) and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, 
Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503; e-mail [email protected] fax: 202-395-
5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management 
Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; e-mail Colette Pollard at 
[email protected]; or telephone (202) 402-3400. This is not a 
toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be 
obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB a 
request for approval of the Information collection described below. 
This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affecting 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: Housing Choice Voucher Program Administrative 
Fee Study Pretest.
    OMB Approval Number: 2528-0267.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Description of the Need for the Information and its Proposed Use: 
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the federal government's 
largest low-income housing assistance program. As of 2010, the Housing 
Choice Voucher program serves more than 2 million households, at a 
total subsidy cost of $18.2 billion per year. The HCV program is 
administered federally by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 
Development and locally by approximately 2,400 local, state, and 
regional housing agencies, known collectively as public housing 
agencies (PHAs). Funding for the HCV program is provided entirely by 
the federal government. The funding that PHAs receive includes the 
housing subsidy itself, plus administrative fees to cover the costs of 
running the program. When the voucher program was first implemented in 
the 1970s, the system for reimbursing PHAs for the costs of program 
administration was loosely based on empirical evidence. Over time, 
however, the system for estimating and allocating fees has become more 
complex and--in some ways--more arbitrary, as HUD and Congress have 
tried to balance fairness with cost savings, while trying to avoid 
large year-to-year swings in funding for PHA staffs. The Housing Choice 
Voucher Program Administrative Fee Study is designed to evaluate the 
amount of funding needed to administer the voucher program based on 
direct measurement of the work actually performed by voucher 
administrators. The study will measure and identify the tasks performed 
by PHA staff to meet program requirements, to assist voucher holders in 
finding and renting suitable housing in a timely way, and to ensure 
that a broad range of affordable rental housing throughout the 
community is available to voucher families. The study will identify the 
costs involved in each task, including salaries, benefits, and 
overhead. Ultimately, the findings of the study will be used to inform 
the development of a new formula for allocating HCV program 
administrative fees.
    Frequency of Submission: Annually.

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                                       Number of          Annual              Hours per
                                      respondents       responses      x       response      =     Burden hours
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Reporting Burden..................              12              294   ...           0.348   ...           1,248
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    Total Estimated Burden Hours: 1,248.
    Status: Revision of a currently approved collection.

    Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. 35, as amended.

    Dated: September 22, 2011.
Colette Pollard,
Departmental Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-24813 Filed 9-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P