[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78375-78376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30814]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5690-N-18]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Certification 
of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, PIH, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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

DATES: Comments Due Date: February 24, 2014.

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 
202-402-5564 (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: Arlette Mussington, Office of Policy, 
Programs and Legislative Initiatives, PIH, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., (L'Enfant Plaza, Room 2206), 
Washington, DC 20410; telephone 202-402-4109, (this is not a toll-free 
number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this 
number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be 
obtained from Ms. Mussington.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is 
seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in 
Section A.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: Certification of Domestic 
Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.

[[Page 78376]]

    OMB Approval Number: 2577-0249.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Form Number: HUD-50066.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: This 
is a request for information collection that may be used in response to 
an incident or incidents of actual or threatened domestic violence, 
dating violence, sexual assault or stalking that may affect an 
individual's participation in the Section 8 or public housing programs.
    When an individual presents a PHA, owner, or manager with a claim 
for protections under the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization 
Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013), the PHA, owner, or manager may (but is not 
required to) request that the individual complete, sign and submit 
within 14 business days of the request, a HUD approved certification 
form, or alternate documentation as described on the certification 
form, to document the domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 
assault, or stalking. The PHA's, owner's, or manager's request for 
documentation must be made in writing. On the certification form, the 
individual certifies that s/he is a victim of domestic violence, dating 
violence, sexual assault or stalking, and that the incident or 
incidences in question are bona fide incidences of such actual or 
threatened abuse. On the certification form, the individual must 
provide the name of the perpetrator only if the name of the perpetrator 
is safe to provide, and is known to the victim.
    PHAs are instructed that the delivery of the certification form to 
the tenant in response to an incident(s) via mail may place the victim 
at risk, e.g., the abuser may monitor the mail; consequently, PHAs, 
owners and management agents may require that the tenant come into the 
office to pick up the certification form. PHAs and owners are also 
encouraged to work with tenants to make delivery arrangements that do 
not place the tenant at risk.
    If the PHA, owner, or manager provides the individual with a 
written request for documentation of the abuse, and the individual does 
not provide the certification form, or alternate documentation as 
described on the certification form, within 14 business days from the 
date of receipt of the PHA's, owner's, or manager's written request (or 
after any extension of that date provided by the PHA, owner or 
manager), the Victim cannot be assured s/he will receive VAWA 
protections.
    Note, On August 6, 2013, HUD published in the Federal Register 
(Volume 78, Number 151, 47717) a notice describing the impacts of the 
VAWA 2013 on HUD programs. The notice provided an overview of the key 
ways in which VAWA 2013 would enhance existing VAWA protections for 
victims of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in HUD's 
public housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs, 
listed the additional HUD programs that would now be covered by the 
statute, explained that VAWA protections would be extended to victims 
of sexual assault, and advised of HUD's plans to issue rules and/or 
guidance on the new law at a later date. HUD also requested public 
comment on certain topics that VAWA 2013 left to HUD's discretion. 
Included in that request was how HUD should adapt VAWA certification 
forms (HUD-50066 and HUD-91066) to document abuse covered by VAWA 2013 
to include the newly covered programs. The current certification form 
HUD-50066 expires on February 28, 2014. HUD determined that the form 
HUD-50066 should be updated to include only the items required by VAWA 
2013. HUD intends to issue at a later date a new form covering all HUD 
covered programs that conforms to VAWA 2013 and considers comments 
received on the notice (comments posted under docket number HUD-2013-
0074 on www.regulations.gov). The new form would replace HUD-50066.
    Respondents (i.e. affected public): Public Housing Authorities 
(PHAs), Owners, and Management Agents, participating in the Public 
Housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 200.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Average Hours per Response: 60 minutes per applicant .
    Total Estimated Burdens: 200 hours.

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 
Section A 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; and
    (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.
    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: December 17, 2013.
Merrie Nichols-Dixon,
Deputy Director, Office of Policy, Programs and Legislative 
Initiatives.
[FR Doc. 2013-30814 Filed 12-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P