[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64524-64525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25574]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5740-N-01]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: HUD Multifamily 
Rental Project Closing Documents Renewal of Currently Approved 
Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for the information collection described in this notice. 
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting 
comment from all interested parties on this proposed collection of 
information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of 
public comment on HUD's proposed renewal of its currently approved 
collection.

DATES: Comments Due Date: December 30, 2013.

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: Colette Pollard, Reports 
Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
451 7th Street SW., Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone 
202-402-3400 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at 
[email protected] for a copy of the proposed forms or other 
available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may 
access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management 
Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at 
[email protected], or telephone 202-402-3400. This is not a toll-
free number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this 
number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339.
    Copies of available documents to be submitted to OMB may be found 
at: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/mfh/mfhclosingdocuments. Please note that HUD will not consider any 
redline/strikeout comparison documents submitted by commenters, as it 
is far too inefficient for the Department to consolidate and consider 
redline/strikeout versions of each of the documents from numerous 
interested parties, based on HUD's past experience in seeking public 
comments on the FHA multifamily closing documents. HUD will only 
consider proposed changes to the documents listed below that are 
submitted in narrative and/or bulleted form, accompanied by a detailed 
explanation and rationale for each requested change. Commenters may 
include in their narrative or bullet points the relevant excerpt(s) 
from the document(s) with redlines/strikeouts, accompanied with a 
detailed explanation and rationale for the changes.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: Multifamily Rental Project Closing 
Documents.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0598.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection (with 
proposed HUD-initiated technical and substantive modifications based on 
information and experiences of HUD staff working with the documents 
since 2011) and two proposed new forms, as further discussed in this 
notice.
    Form Number: Please see below.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: These 
are closing documents (Closing Documents) used in Federal Housing 
Administration (FHA) multifamily rental projects. The documents 
included in the proposed collection of information, including where 
applicable redline/strikeout versions showing proposed changes to 
documents currently in use, have been posted on HUD's Web site at: 
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/mfh/mfhclosingdocuments.
    Estimated Burden: Please see following table.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Number of     Frequency of    Responses per   Burden hours    Annual burden                   Total annual
         Information collection             respondents      response          annum       per response        hours        Hourly cost        cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HUD-91710M..............................             600               1             600            0.5           300                $26            $700
HUD-91712M..............................             600               1             600            0.5           300                 26           7,800
HUD-92023M..............................            1250               1            1250            1            1250                 26          32,500
HUD-92070M..............................              60               1              60            0.5            30                 26             780
HUD-92223M..............................             600               1             600            0.5           300                 26           7,800
HUD-92412M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-92414M..............................            1250               1            1250            0.5           625                 26          16,250
HUD-92450M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-92452A-M............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-92452M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-92455M..............................            1075               1            1075            1            1075                 26          27,950
HUD-92456M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-91073M..............................            1250               1            1250            0.5           625                 26          16,250

[[Page 64525]]

 
HUD-92464M..............................            1250               1            1250            1            1250                 46          57,500
HUD-92476.1M............................            1075               1            1075            0.5           537.50              26          13,975
HUD-92476a-M............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-92477M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-92478M..............................            1250               1            1250            0.5           625                 26          16,250
HUD-92479M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-91725M..............................            1250               1            1250            1            1250                125         156,250
HUD-91725M-CERT.........................            1250               1            1250            1            1250                 46          57,500
HUD-91725M-INST.........................               0               0               0            0               0                  0               0
HUD-92434M..............................             175               1             175            1             175                 26           4,550
HUD-92441M-SUPP.........................             175               1             175             .75          131.25              26        3,412.50
HUD-92441M..............................             175               1             175             .75          131.25              26        3,412.50
HUD-92442M..............................             175               1             175            1             175                 58          10,150
HUD-92466M..............................            1250               1            1250            1            1250                 58          72,500
HUD-92554M..............................             175               1             175            0.5            87.50              26           2,275
HUD-94000M..............................            1250               1            1250            0.75          937.5               26          24,375
HUD-94001M..............................            1250               1            1250            1            1250                 26          32,500
HUD-93305M..............................            1250               1            1250            0.5           625                 26          16,200
HUD-92476M..............................              20               1              20            0.5            10                 26             200
HUD-92420M..............................             600               1             600            0.5           300                 26           7,800
HUD-92408M..............................            1250               1             600            2            2500                103         257,500
HUD-91070M..............................            1250               1            1250            0.5           625                 36          22,500
HUD-91071M..............................              20               1              20            0.5            10                 26             260
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................  ..............  ..............          23,175  ..............       18,325     ..............      894,550.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The hourly rate is an estimate based on an average annual salary of 
62,000 for developers and mortgagees.

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

    This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected parties concerning the collection of information described in 
this notice on the following:
    (1) 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) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information.
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected or any content of the Closing Documents.
    (4) Ways to 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.
    (5) With respect to the Construction Contract (HUD-92442M) and the 
HUD Amendment to AIA Document B108 (HUD-92408-M) (``Owner-Architect 
Agreement''), are there states with attorney fee shifting statutes that 
favor contractors and/or architects, such that contractors and/or 
architects are awarded attorney's fees when they prevail against owners 
in litigation, but owners who prevail are not similarly awarded 
attorney's fees unless there is an explicit provision for such awards 
in the construction contract or owner-architect agreement? If so, does 
this create an imbalance between the parties that HUD should address in 
these form documents? Further, irrespective of whether such state fee 
shifting statutes exist, should the Construction Contract (HUD-92442M) 
and the HUD Amendment to AIA Document B108 (HUD-92408-M) be revised to 
include a provision allowing attorney fees to the prevailing party in 
litigation?
    (6) Whether the new form, Consolidated Certifications--Borrower 
(HUD-91070M), improves efficiency by consolidating all the 
certifications the borrower is required to make in a single form.
    (7) Whether the new form, Escrow Agreement for Off-site Facilities 
(HUD-91071M), effectively streamlines, updates and standardizes an 
outdated and difficult to locate form used in certain situations when 
there is required work to be performed away from the HUD project site 
by combining HUD's requirements for the escrow for off-site work with 
the more modern approach taken in HUD's other escrow forms used in FHA-
insured multifamily rental closings.
    HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to 
these questions.

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

    Dated: October 23, 2013.
Laura M. Marin,
Associate General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing-Associate 
Deputy Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2013-25574 Filed 10-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P