[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22297-22298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08777]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5909-N-29]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Certified 
Housing Counselor Registration

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: May 16, 2016.

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, QMAC, 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 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.
    The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the 
information collection for a period of 60 days was published on October 
9, 2015 at 80 FR 61224.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: Certified Housing Counselor 
Registration.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502--New.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Form Number: None.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: 
Pursuant to Section 1445 of the Dodd-Frank Act, all individuals 
providing homeownership or rental housing counseling related to HUD 
programs must be HUD-certified housing counselors. To become certified, 
a housing counselor must pass a written examination. HUD established a 
Housing Counselor Certification Exam and training program, as mandated 
by Subtitle D of title XIV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and 
Consumer Protection Act (Pub. L. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (July 21, 
2010)) (Dodd-Frank Act), and created a Web site for individuals to 
register for the examination and training. To track individuals using 
the training, successful passage of the examination, and eligibility 
for certification, the Web site has a registration requirement. 
Registration through HUD's certification contractor's Web site for the 
on-line training will require name, city, state, telephone number, 
email address, occupation, if employer is a HUD-participating housing 
counseling agency, and a HUD's Housing Counseling System number. 
Registration for the practice and certification examinations through 
this system will require, in addition to the information for general 
registration, a full mailing address, social security number, 
language(s) spoken by the counselor when providing counseling 
servicing, and optional demographic data (race, ethnicity, gender). 
Collection of social security numbers is required for linking the 
individual's information to HUD's FHA Connection system, so HUD can 
verify applicants are employed by participating agencies. HUD estimates 
the collection of this information to average five minutes for each 
individual that registers for the on-line training, practice 
examination, and certification examination. Public reporting burden for 
this collection of information is estimated to average 1,700 hours per 
year.
    Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,700.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 3,567.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Average Hours per Response: 15 minutes (.25).
    Total Estimated Burdens: 892 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.


[[Page 22298]]


    Dated: April 12, 2016.
Colette Pollard,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-08777 Filed 4-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P