[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40435-40437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17453]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-7011-N-38]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: FHA Lender 
Approval, Annual Renewal, Periodic Updates and Required Reports by FHA-
Approved Lenders

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

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Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), HUD is requesting comment from all 
interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 30 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: September 13, 2019.

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: Volky Garcia, Director, Lender 
Approval and Recertification Division, Office of Lender Activities and 
Program Compliance, Office of Single Family Housing, U.S. Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 490 L'Enfant Plaza East SW, Room P3214, 
Washington, DC 20024-8000; email [email protected], or telephone 
202-402-8229. 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 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 March 12, 2019 at 84 FR 8888.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: FHA Lender Approval, Annual 
Renewal, Periodic Updates and Required Reports by FHA-Approved Lenders.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0005.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Form Number: Online form (previously HUD-92001-A) and Annual 
Certification, with no corresponding number.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Title 
II of the National Housing Act, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1703, 1709, and 
1715b, 42 U.S.C. 1436(a) 3535(d), authorizes the Secretary of HUD to 
prescribe terms and conditions with respect to mortgage insurance under 
the above act. Criteria for approval to become a Title I lender and/or 
Title II mortgagee, as well as requirements to maintain that approval, 
are specified in 24 CFR 202, 24 CFR 203.433, 24 CFR 203.434 and 
Handbook HUD 4000.1, which became effective on September 14, 2015. The 
requirements in Handbook HUD 4000.1 represent the consolidation of 
those previously set forth in Handbooks HUD 4700.2 & 4060.1 and various 
Title I Letters and Mortgagee Letters.
    31 U.S.C. 7701, the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1986, 
authorizes ``the head of an agency administering an included Federal 
loan program'' to collect taxpayer identifying numbers for ``a lender 
or servicer in a Federal guaranteed or insured loan program 
administered by the agency.'' Executive Order 9397, as amended by 
Executive Order 13478, also authorizes federal departments and agencies 
to use Social Security Numbers ``as a system to organize and identify 
individual persons.''
    The information is used by FHA to verify that lenders meet all 
approval, renewal and compliance requirements at all times. It is also 
used to assist FHA in managing its financial risks and to protect 
consumers from lender noncompliance with FHA regulations.
    The figures below were updated by using Fiscal Year 2018 annual 
lender approval and recertification submission data. This revision 
reflects a decrease in the entire OMB approval number burden hours 
which is attributable to a change in the annual certification 
responses.
    Respondents (i.e. affected public): Regulatory or compliance.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,852.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 18,982.
    Frequency of Response: Annual/Periodic.
    Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
    Total Estimated Burdens: 13,231.
    In addition to the 60 days of public comment that HUD provided on 
this information collection, HUD also provided the public an 
opportunity to comment on the FHA Annual Lender Certification through 
FHA's Office of Single Family Housing ``Drafting Table'' at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/SFH_policy_drafts. HUD received 
comments that the annual certification statements require overly broad 
attestation of regulatory and Handbook provisions which already require 
strict compliance with all HUD regulations and requirements necessary 
to maintain the Mortgagee's FHA approval as codified in 24 CFR 202.5. 
Generally, the commenters recommended that HUD: (1) Rescind the annual 
certification statements since the National Housing Act does not 
require certification of compliance with FHA eligibility requirements 
or completion of an annual certification; or (2) revise the annual 
certification statements to a general acknowledgement of the existence 
of policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure 
material compliance. In response to the feedback and recommendations, 
HUD developed a streamlined FHA Annual Lender Certification attached as 
Appendix A.

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 using the 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 9, 2019.
Colette Pollard,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.

Appendix A

FHA Lender Annual Certification Statements (All Mortgagees) DRAFT as of 
7/29/2019

    1. I acknowledge that I am a Corporate Officer of the 
abovementioned Mortgagee (hereinafter referred to as ``the 
Mortgagee'') authorized to execute these certifications and 
acknowledgements on behalf of the Mortgagee.
    2. I certify that, during the Certification Period, the 
Mortgagee, or any Corporate

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Officer (as defined at HUD Handbook 4000.1 I.A.3.c.iv.(B)) was not:
    (a) Subject to a suspension, debarment, or under a Limited 
Denial of Participation (LDP); or
    (b) Refused or had revoked, any license necessary to conduct 
normal operations in the mortgage loan industry by any State(s) (as 
defined at 12 U.S.C. 1707(d)) in which the Mortgagee will originate 
insured mortgages or Title I loans.
    3. I certify that during the Certification Period the Mortgagee 
was not sanctioned by any State(s) (as defined at 12 U.S.C. 1707(d)) 
in which the Mortgagee will originate insured mortgages or Title I 
loans.
    4. I certify that the preceding statements are materially 
correct to the best of my knowledge.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN14AU19.494


[FR Doc. 2019-17453 Filed 8-13-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P