[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 134 (Friday, July 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32568-32569]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14805]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-6001-N-26]


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

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
Commissioner, 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: September 12, 2017.

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: Kim Jakeway, Senior Housing Program 
Officer, Office of Outreach and Capacity Building, Office of Housing 
Counseling, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 3000 C Street, 
Suite 401, Anchorage, AK 99503; [email protected] or telephone (907) 
677-9848. 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: Application for Approval as a 
Housing Counseling Agency.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0573.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    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 1,900 HUD-participating agencies provide housing 
counseling services nation-wide currently. Of these, approximately 920 
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, or public housing authorities 
that meet the Program criteria. HUD uses form HUD-9900 to evaluate 
whether applying organizations meet minimum

[[Page 32569]]

requirements to participate in the Housing Counseling Program. The 
instruction on how to become a HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency 
is found at https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/housing-counseling/agency-application/. HUD is seeking a revision 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 a streamlined, fillable PDF interactive version and 
will continue to require electronic submission of applications through 
email in place of paper submissions.
    Respondents (i.e. affected public): Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 800.
    Estimated Number of Response: 800.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Hours per Response: 8.
    Total Estimated Burdens: 6400.

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 21, 2017.
Genger Charles,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing.
[FR Doc. 2017-14805 Filed 7-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P