[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36086-36087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14840]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5758-N-09]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Evaluation of 
the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, Phase I

AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection.

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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: August 25, 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 
202-402-3400 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at 
[email protected]">Colette.[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]">Colette.[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 submitted to OMB may be obtained from 
Ms. Pollard.

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: Evaluation of the Rental 
Assistance Demonstration Program, Phase I.
    OMB Approval Number: N/A.
    Type of Request: New.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
Rental Assistance Demonstration program (RAD) was established in 2012 
to stem the loss of public housing units and other subsidized housing 
arising from a backlog of capital needs. The program helps to convert 
at-risk public housing properties to two different forms of project-
based Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contracts--either 
project-based voucher (PBV) or project-based rental assistance (PBRA)--
giving public housing authorities (PHAs) more flexibility to access 
private and public funding sources, easing their reliance on 
unpredictable appropriations. The RAD authorizing statute requires HUD 
to assess the impact of the program on: (1) The preservation and 
improvement of former public housing units, (2) the amount of private 
capital leveraged as a result of such conversions, and (3) the effect 
of conversion on residents. The evaluation is designed to examine the 
resources available to improve the physical conditions of a public 
housing property, what new opportunities RAD creates for PHAs to 
improve public housing physical conditions, and how it helps PHAs 
preserve those units over the long term. To examine whether the stated 
HUD and PHA objectives are achieved, HUD will be collecting 
quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources 
and analyzing data related to the following: (1) The physical and 
financial conditions of 24 RAD properties selected for the study and 48 
non-RAD properties selected for comparison; (2) the implementation of 
the program, including the capital needs and amount of private funding 
leveraged; and (3) the experience with, and effect on, residents.
    At this time, funding is available to fund only the first two 
components of the evaluation, thus, this request for OMB clearance only 
covers the ``first phase'' of the evaluation--(1) an assessment of the 
baseline conditions of RAD properties chosen for study and the baseline 
conditions of the comparison non-RAD properties, and (2) an assessment 
of the initial RAD financing, and the implementation phase of the RAD 
program. The request also includes a tracking form for the resident 
study that will be completed as a second phase of the evaluation, 
should funding be made available.
    Respondents: PHAs and PHA tenants.

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                                                                   Average time
                                                                    to complete
             Form                  Respondent        Number of       (minimum,       Frequency     Total burden
                                     sample         respondents     maximum) in                       (hours)
                                                                      minutes
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Physical and Financial          PHAs (n=72 PHAs;              72      60 (50-70)               1              72
 Conditions Survey               24 PHAs
 Implementation Survey           implementing
 Resident Intake Study           RAD, 48 PHAs
 Correspondence and Intake       not
 Form.                           implementing
                                 RAD PHAs,
                                 stakeholder,
                                 implementation
                                 consultants,
                                 project
                                 managers
                                 (n=100) Tenants
                                 of RAD PHAs
                                 (n=400).
Implementation Survey.........  PHAs,                        199      60 (50-70)               1             100
                                 stakeholder,
                                 implementation
                                 consultants,
                                 project
                                 managers
                                 (n=100).
Resident Intake Study           Tenants of RAD               400       10 (8-12)               1              67
 Correspondence and Intake       PHAs (n=400).
 Form.
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Burden Hours........  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             239
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[[Page 36087]]

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: June 18, 2014.
Katherine M. O'Regan,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 2014-14840 Filed 6-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P