[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46869-46870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18946]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5752-N-62]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: HUD Housing 
Counseling Program--Application for Approval as a Housing Counseling 
Agency

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: HUD has submitted the proposed information collection 
requirement described below to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for an additional 30 days of public 
comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: September 10, 2014.

[[Page 46870]]


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: HUD Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503; fax: 202-395-5806. Email: [email protected].

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. Persons with hearing 
or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the 
toll-free Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. This is not a toll-
free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be 
obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD has 
submitted to OMB a request for approval of the information collection 
described in Section A.
    The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the 
information collection for a period of 60 days was published on April 
18, 2014.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: HUD Housing Program-Application 
for Approval as a Housing Counseling Agency.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0573.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    Form Number: HUD-9900.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
Office of Housing Counseling is responsible for administration of the 
Department's Housing Counseling Program, authorized by Section 106 of 
the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. The Housing 
Counseling Program supports the delivery of a wide variety of housing 
counseling services to homebuyers, homeowners, low- to moderate-income 
renters, and the homeless. The primary objective of the program is to 
educate families and individuals in order to help them make smart 
decisions regarding improving their housing situation and meeting the 
responsibilities of tenancy and homeownership, including through budget 
and financial counseling. Counselors also help borrowers avoid 
predatory lending practices, such as inflated appraisals, unreasonably 
high interest rates, unaffordable repayment terms, and other conditions 
that can result in a loss of equity, increased debt, default, and 
possible foreclosure. Counselors may also provide reverse mortgage 
counseling to elderly homeowners who seek to convert equity in their 
homes to pay for home improvements, medical costs, living expenses or 
other expenses. Additionally, housing counselors may distribute and be 
a resource for information concerning Fair Housing and Fair Lending. 
The Housing Counseling Program is instrumental to achievement of HUD's 
mission. The Program's far-reaching effects support numerous 
departmental programs, including Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 
single family housing programs.
    Approximately 2,364 HUD-participating agencies provide housing 
counseling services nation-wide currently. Of these, approximately 970 
have been directly approved by HUD. HUD maintains a list of these 
agencies so that individuals in need of assistance can easily access 
the nearest HUD-approved housing counseling agency via HUD's Web site, 
an automated 1-800 Hotline, or a smart phone application. HUD Form 
9900, Application for Approval as a Housing Counseling Agency, is 
necessary to make sure that people who contact a HUD approved agency 
can have confidence they will receive quality service and these 
agencies meet HUD requirements for approval.
    To participate in HUD's Housing Counseling Program, a housing 
counseling agency must first be approved by HUD. Approval entails 
meeting various requirements relating to experience and capacity, 
including nonprofit status, a minimum of one year of housing counseling 
experience in the target community, and sufficient resources to 
implement a housing counseling plan. Eligible organizations include 
local housing counseling agencies, private or public organizations 
(including grassroots, faith-based and other community-based 
organizations) such as nonprofit, state, local or tribal government 
entities or public housing authorities that meet the Program criteria. 
HUD uses form HUD-9900 to evaluate whether applying organizations meet 
minimum requirements to participate in the Housing Counseling Program. 
The application for approval for HUD-9900 is found at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof13.cfm.
    HUD is seeking an extension for the Application for Approval as a 
Housing Counseling Agency, form HUD-9900. There have been no changes in 
program eligibility requirements. The form will be updated to reflect 
changes in Offices responsible for processing applications from the 
Single Family Program Support Division to the Office of Housing 
Counseling, and require electronic submission of applications through 
email in place of paper submissions. Based on the most recent 
information available (as of February 2014).
    Respondents (i.e. affected public): Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 66.
    Estimated Number of Response: 66.
    Frequency of Response: annually.
    Average Hours per Response: 71.
    Total Estimated Burdens: 4686.

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: August 4, 2014.
Colette Pollard,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-18946 Filed 8-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P