[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47236-47238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21946]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-6004-N-06]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Public Housing 
Agencies Service Areas Solicitation of Comments

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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. 
This is a one-time collection of information. The purpose of this 
notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: December 11, 2017.

[[Page 47237]]


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:  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: Public Housing Agencies Service 
Areas Solicitation of Comments.
    OMB Approval Number: NEW--Pending OMB Approval.
    Type of Request: New Collection.
    Form Number: Interactive Geospatial tool currently under 
development and will be available upon completion.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: HUD 
proposes to use the following information collection methodology to 
gather Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) service area boundaries. An 
interactive geospatial tool will be provided by HUD for PHAs to access 
online. Through this online tool, HUD will present PHAs with estimates 
of their service area boundaries based on the locations of the PHA's 
public housing units and Housing Choice Vouchers in relation to Units 
of General Local Government. PHAs will be provided an opportunity to 
revise HUD's initial estimates using the online tool. The online, 
interactive tool will provide PHAs with the ability to designate 
boundaries that more accurately reflect their actual service areas 
under state and local law. PHAs will be able to do so by identifying 
Units of General Local Government boundaries that more closely reflect 
their actual service areas.
    The United States Housing Act of 1937 (1937 Act) in Section 3(b)(6) 
defines a Public Housing Agency, in part, as: ``Except as provided in 
subparagraph (b), . . . any State, county, municipality, or other 
governmental entity or public body (or agency or instrumentality 
thereof) which is authorized to engage in or assist in the development 
or operation of public housing.'' 42 U.S.C. 1437a. The section includes 
additional provisions related to PHAs operating Section 8 Housing 
Choice Vouchers. The 1937 Act therefore includes a reference to 
applicable state and local laws that PHAs operate pursuant to. HUD's 
regulations, at 24 CFR 982.4, defines a PHA's Jurisdiction as, ``the 
area in which the PHA has authority under State and local law to 
administer the program.''
    HUD is proposing an information collection regarding PHAs' 
applicable jurisdictions, also known as service areas, in which they 
are authorized to operate under state and local law. Through the online 
tool, HUD will present PHAs with estimates of their service area 
boundaries, based on the locations of the PHA's public housing unit and 
Housing Choice Vouchers in relation to Units of General Local 
Government. HUD is aware that these initial estimates may not reflect 
the PHA's defined service area in accordance with State and local law, 
therefore, PHAs will be provided an opportunity to revise HUD's initial 
estimates using the online tool. When revising HUD's estimates, PHAs 
will be instructed to include in their revisions the areas in which 
they are authorized to operate under state and local law, not only the 
areas in which they currently operate. This means including areas that 
the PHA may have no public housing developments or HCVs, but where the 
PHA could operate those programs. If the PHA believes that HUD's 
estimate of its service area is accurate, the PHA will be asked to 
validate or accept HUD's estimation within the online tool.
    The information collection described in this Notice will use an 
online electronic methodology intended to reduce administrative costs 
for PHAs and the federal government. The information obtained through 
this information collection is intended to assist in HUD program 
operations and in providing data to HUD's program participants, 
stakeholders, and the.
    Collecting PHA service area boundaries in a simple electronic 
format will aid in the provision of data that can be used in conducting 
the statement of housing needs assessments as required by the PHA 
Annual Plan pursuant to 24 CFR 903.7. The information will be used by 
HUD to provide data to PHAs for use in completing Assessments of Fair 
Housing. Such information is also highly relevant for informing Housing 
Choice Voucher policy decisions, including those related to mobility 
and portability. HUD itself will utilize the information to inform 
operations of the public housing, Housing Choice Voucher and other 
programs, and for estimating the impact of changes in Fair Market 
Rents, including Small Area Fair Market Rents. The information may also 
be useful for the general public, for instance, in locating local 
affordable housing providers and increasing awareness of local 
affordable housing options.
    The use of a geospatial data tool to collect this information has 
the advantage of simplifying and minimizing the administrative costs as 
well as directly linking the information to existing data resources 
without the need for additional cost to the federal government.

 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Estimated
                                                 Number of                                average     Estimated
                                    Number of    responses     Frequency of response      time for      total
                                   respondents      per                                 requirement  burden  (in
                                                 respondent                              (in hours)     hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHA Service Area Information.....        3,942            1  Once per Assessment of               1        3,942
                                                              Fair Housing cycle
                                                              (i.e., generally once
                                                              every five years).
                                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Burden.................  ...........  ...........  .........................  ...........        3,942
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 47238]]

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 the use of appropriate automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    (5) Whether this information collection will result in more 
accurate data that will enable PHAs to conduct meaningful analyses of 
their programs.
    HUD encourages interested parties to submit comments in response to 
these questions.

     Authority:  Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

    Dated: October 3, 2017.
Merrie Nichols-Dixon,
Director, Office of Policy, Program and Legislative Initiatives.
[FR Doc. 2017-21946 Filed 10-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P