[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 669-670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00011]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Housing Vacancy 
Survey

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information to be collected is the 
Housing Vacancy Survey, conducted in conjunction with the Current 
Population Survey.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before March 9, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Lisa A. Clement, Survey 
Director, Current Population and American Time Use Surveys, U.S. Census 
Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, ADDP/CPS HQ-7H141, Washington, DC 20233 
(or via the internet at [email protected]). You may also submit 
comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2019-0012, to the Federal e-
Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments received 
are part of the public record. No comments will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until after the comment period 
has closed. Comments will generally be posted without change. All 
Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information. You may submit attachments to electronic 
comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Tim J. Marshall, U.S. Census Bureau, ADDP/CPS HQ-
7H143, Washington, DC 20233-8400, (301) 763-3806 (or via the internet 
at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request clearance from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for the collection of data concerning the 
Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS) to be conducted in conjunction with the 
Current Population Survey (CPS). The Census Bureau sponsors the HVS, 
which collects data from a sample of vacant housing units identified in 
the monthly CPS sample. The current clearance expires June 30, 2020.
    Collection of the HVS in conjunction with the Current Population 
Survey began in 1956, and serves a broad array of data users. The HVS 
provides the only quarterly statistics on rental vacancy rates and 
homeownership rates for the United States, the four census regions, the 
50 states and the District of Columbia, and the 75 largest metropolitan 
statistical areas (MSAs). Private and public sector organizations use 
these rates extensively to gauge and analyze the housing market with 
regard to supply, cost, and affordability at various points in time.
    Policy analysts, program managers, budget analysts, and 
congressional staff use these data to advise the executive and 
legislative branches of government with respect to the number and 
characteristics of units available for occupancy and the suitability of 
housing initiatives. These data are a component of consumer expenditure 
statistics. They also are used to project mortgage demand and to 
measure the adequacy of the supply of rental and homeowner units. In 
addition, investment firms use the HVS data to analyze market trends 
and for economic forecasting.

II. Method of Collection

    The HVS is collected by both personal visit and telephone 
interviews in conjunction with the CPS interviewing. The Census Bureau 
conducts HVS interviews using computer-assisted interviewing with 
landlords or other knowledgeable people concerning vacant housing units 
identified in the monthly CPS sample and meeting certain criteria.

[[Page 670]]

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0179.
    Form Number(s): There are no forms. We conduct all interviewing on 
computers.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals who have knowledge of the vacant 
sample unit (e.g., landlords, rental agents, neighbors).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 84,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 3 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4200.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182; and 
Title 29, United States Code, Section 1.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-00011 Filed 1-6-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P