[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 237 (Monday, December 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73493-73494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29791]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

 [Docket No. FR-5609-N-13]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request Family 
Self-Sufficiency Program Demonstration

AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, 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: February 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and should 
be sent to: Reports Liaison Officer, Office of Policy Development and 
Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street SW., Room 8230, Washington, DC 20410.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Stoloff, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and 
Research, 451 7th Street SW., Room 8120, Washington, DC 20410; 
telephone (202) 402-5723, (this is not a toll free number). Copies of 
the proposed data collection instruments and other available documents 
may be obtained from Dr. Stoloff.

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 if the 
information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of 
the agency's estimate of the burden of 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: Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program 
Demonstration
    Description of the need for information and proposed use: The 
Department is conducting this study under contract with MDRC and its 
subcontractors (Branch Associates and M. Davis and Company, Inc.). The 
project is an evaluation of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program 
operated at Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the U.S. The study 
will use random-assignment methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
program. FSS has operated since 1992 and serves voucher holders and 
residents of public housing. The FSS model is essentially case 
management plus an escrow account. FSS case managers create a plan with 
families to achieve goals and connect with services that will enhance 
their employment opportunities. Families accrue money in their escrow 
accounts as they increase their earnings. To date, HUD has funded two 
other studies of the FSS program, but neither can tell us how well 
families would have done in the absence of the program. A random 
assignment model is needed because participant self-selection into FSS 
limits the ability to know whether program features rather than the 
characteristics of the participating families caused tenant income 
gains. Random assignment will limit the extent to which selection bias 
is driving observed results. The demonstration will document the 
progress of a group of FSS participants from initial enrollment to 
program completion (or exit). The intent is to gain a deeper 
understanding of the program and illustrate strategies that assist 
participants to obtain greater economic independence. While the main 
objective of FSS is stable, suitable employment, there are many interim 
outcomes of interest, which include: Getting a first job; getting a 
higher paying job; self-employment/small business ownership; no longer 
needing benefits provided under one or more welfare programs; obtaining 
additional education, whether in the form of a high school diploma, 
higher education degree, or vocational training; buying a home; buying 
a car; setting up savings accounts; or accomplishing similar goals that 
lead to economic independence.
    Data collection will include the families that are part of the 
treatment and control groups, as well as PHA staff. Data will be 
gathered through a variety of methods including surveys, informational 
interviews, direct observation, and analysis of administrative records.
    Members of the affected public:

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PHA Staff........................  Approximately 72 (i.e., assuming up
                                    to 4 staff at up to 18 PHAs).
Families receiving subsidized      Up to 1,500.
 housing and enrolled in the FSS
 program (treatment group).
Families receiving subsidized      Up to 1,500.
 housing and not enrolled in the
 FSS program (control group).
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    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response:

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                                                                 Number  responses   Average burden/response
              Instrument                Number of  respondents    per  respondent          (in hours)                     Total burden hours
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Informed Consent Form (ICF)\1\.......  3,000...................                  1  Up to 15 minutes (or .25  750 hours.
                                                                                     hours).

[[Page 73494]]

 
Baseline Information Form (includes    3,000...................                  1  30 minutes, on average    2,250 hours.
 completion of the Contact Sheet).                                                   (or .50 hours).
                                                                                     Approximately 45
                                                                                     minutes (or .75 hours)
                                                                                     for larger households.
Tracking survey sample...............  3,000...................                  1  Maximum of 1 hour over    3,000 hours.
                                                                                     the tracking period,
                                                                                     mainly to update
                                                                                     contact information.
Implementation research (round 1       20 per PHA (or 20 * 18                    1  Field research visits     252 hours or
 projected to occur in Year 3).         sites).                                      will last two days.      14 hours (or 2 days) per site visit * 18
Meetings could include: FSS                                                          Meetings to run 30 to     sites.
 coordinator; FSS case management                                                    60 minutes, depending
 staff; lead manager to whom the FSS                                                 on the group of
 coordinator reports; representatives                                                participants.
 of 4 key partner agencies; FSS
 participants.
Cost-Benefit analysis data collection  6 per PHA (or 6 * 18                      1  Site visits will last 1   126 hours or 7 hours (or 1 day) per site
 meetings with: FSS MIS/data analyst;   sites).                                      day. Meetings to run 30   visit * 18 sites.
 FSS coordinator; FSS case management                                                to 60 minutes,
 staff; lead manager to whom the FSS                                                 depending on the group
 coordinator reports.                                                                of participants.
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\1\ We assume that the Informed Consent Form (ICF) will include language to enable us to collect administrative records from the designated state agency
  where the PHA is located. Therefore, the time to obtain this consent is included in the estimate to complete the ICF. Upon selection of sites, MDRC
  will contact the corresponding state agencies to initiate legal agreements to obtain these records, including the approved language to incorporate
  into the ICF.

     Total 6,378 hours.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB 
approval.

    Authority:  Title 13 U.S.C. Section 9(a), and Title 12, U.S.C., 
Section 1701z-1 et seq.

    Dated: December 3, 2012.
Erika C. Poethig,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 2012-29791 Filed 12-7-12; 8:45 am]
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