[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27243-27245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11180]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR 5604-N-07]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Disaster Recovery 
Grant Reporting (DRGR) System

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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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: July 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: LaRuth Harper, Department of 
Housing Urban and Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 7233, 
Washington, DC 20410.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stanley Gimont, Director, Office of 
Block Grant Assistance at (202) 708-3587.

[[Page 27244]]


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: Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting System.
    OMB Control Number: 2506-0165.
    Description of the need for the Information and proposed use: The 
Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR) System is a grants management 
system used by the Office of Community Planning and Development to 
monitor special appropriation grants under the Community Development 
Block Grant program. This collection pertains to Community Development 
Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) and Neighborhood Stabilization 
Program (NSP) grant appropriations.
    The CDBG program is authorized under Title I of the Housing and 
Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. Following major 
disasters, Congress appropriates supplemental CDBG funds for disaster 
recovery. According to Section 104(e)(1) of the Housing and Community 
Development Act of 1974, HUD is responsible for reviewing grantees' 
compliance with applicable requirements and their continuing capacity 
to carry out their programs. Grant funds are made available to states 
and units of general local government, Indian tribes, and insular 
areas, unless provided otherwise by supplemental appropriations 
statute, based on their unmet disaster recovery needs.
    The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) was established for 
the purpose of stabilizing communities that have suffered as a result 
of foreclosures and property abandonment. On July 21, 2010, President 
Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection 
Act (Dodd-Frank Act) into law (Pub. L. 111-203). This law provides $1 
billion of formula grant funding for the redevelopment of foreclosed 
and abandoned homes to be allocated under the terms of Title XII, 
Division A, Section 2 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
(Recovery Act) and by the formula factors provided in Title III of 
Division B of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 
110-289) (HERA). In 2008, HERA provided for an initial round of formula 
funding to regular State and entitlement Community Development Block 
Grant (CDBG) grantees through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 
(NSP1).\1\ The Recovery Act provided for a neighborhood stabilization 
grant competition open to state and local governments, as well as non-
profit groups and consortia that may include for-profit entities 
(NSP2).\2\ The Dodd-Frank Act is the third round of Neighborhood 
Stabilization Funding (NSP3).
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    \1\ In October of 2010, NSP1 and NSP3 were consolidated under 
the Unified NSP1 and NSP3 Notice (FR 75 64322).
    \2\ 74 FR 21377.
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    Although NSP funds are otherwise to be considered CDBG funds, HERA, 
the Recovery Act and the Dodd-Frank Act make substantive revisions to 
the eligibility, use, and method of distribution of NSP3 funds. For 
NSP1 and NSP3, grantees are required to submit substantial amendments 
to their consolidated plans to secure funding they are entitled to 
under the formula grants.
    NSP3 Technical Assistance grants were appropriated under Dodd-Frank 
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) (Pub. 
L. 111-203). Grantees were selected through a competitive process set 
forth in the NSP3-TA Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA),\3\ with the 
purpose of assessing the need for technical assistance and targeting 
technical assistance in order to achieve the highest level of 
performance and results for the programs administered by HUD's Office 
of Community Planning and Development. Eligible applicants include 
states, units of local government, public housing authorities, non-
profit organizations, for-profit entities, and joint applicants.
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    \3\ 77 FR 16848.
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    Agency form numbers, if applicable:
    SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.
    Members of affected public: DRGR is used to monitor CDBG-DR, NSP, 
and NSP-TA grants. CDBG-DR and NSP grant funds are made available to 
states and units of general local government, Indian tribes, and 
insular areas, unless provided otherwise by supplemental appropriations 
statute. NSP-TA grant funds are awarded on a competitive basis and are 
open to state and local governments, as well as non-profit groups and 
consortia that may include for-profit entities.
    Estimation of the total numbers of hours needed to prepare the 
Information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response: Community Development Block Grant 
Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Grants: The DRGR system has approximately 
72 open CDBG disaster recovery grants. HUD requires each grantee to 
report their performance into the system quarterly. In addition, 
grantees submit vouchers for drawdown of funds as needed. Some grantees 
have more than one open grant under different appropriation rules and 
are required to report on grants separately.
    For average sized grantees (< $100m in grant funds), the Department 
estimates 9 hours for quarterly reporting in DRGR. Larger grantees with 
funds in excess of $100M+ require a substantially greater number of 
reporting activities, thus averaging approximately 57 hours per 
quarter. The estimated annual total number of hours for Disaster Grant 
reporting is 2,241.
    Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) Grants: The system has 577 
NSP1 and NSP3 grants in the system. The 270 NSP3 grantees must prepare 
and submit substantial amendments to their action plans, sign grant 
agreements, and set up activities in DRGR for a total of 15,323 hours.
    The Department estimates that it takes 4 hours per grant for 
quarterly reporting and 38 hours for voucher submissions. The estimated 
annual total number of hours for all 577 NSP1 and 3 grantees to report 
in DRGR is 9,232 hours. Voucher submissions are estimated at 3,899 
burden hours per year. Total burden hours including application, grant 
setup and reporting are estimated at 28,494.
    Neighborhood Stabilization Program 3 Technical Assistance (NSP3-TA) 
Grants: DRGR currently has 10 NSP3-TA grants in the system. The 
Department estimates 1,848 total hours including 42 applications and 
grant setup for the 10 selected applicants. Quarterly reporting for the 
10 grants is estimated at 3 hours per grant, per response, for an 
annual total of 160 hours. Total annual voucher submissions are 
estimated at 68 hours.

[[Page 27245]]

    Status of the proposed information collection: This notice precedes 
a continuation of the existing burden hour request.

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

    Dated: May 2, 2012.
Mercedes M[aacute]rquez,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2012-11180 Filed 5-8-12; 8:45 am]
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