[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30468-30469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11926]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR 5928-N-03]


Notice of Continuation of Demonstration To Test Proposed New 
Method of Assessing the Physical Conditions of Voucher-Assisted Housing

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

ACTION: Demonstration continuation.

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SUMMARY: Through this notice, HUD announces the continuation of HUD's 
demonstration to test the new method of assessing the physical 
condition of housing assisted by HUD vouchers (voucher-assisted 
housing) through October 1, 2022 and renews its call for additional 
Public Housing Authority (PHA) volunteers (eligible PHAs administering 
the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program). This continuation supports 
HUD's ability to align the HCV program with the National Standards for 
the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) physical inspection 
model and to assess the HCV program's inspection protocol against this 
model. In addition, this notice updates the relevant participation 
provisions and selection criteria.

DATES: Applicable date July 4, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kevin Laviano, Assessment Manager, 
Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 550 12th Street SW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20410-4000, 
telephone number 216-659-2193 (this is not a toll-free number) or via 
email to [email protected]. Persons with hearing or speech impairments 
may contact the numbers above via TTY by calling the Federal Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339 (this is a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 4, 2016, HUD published a notice 
implementing the ``Demonstration To Test Proposed New Method of 
Assessing the Physical Conditions of Voucher-Assisted Housing.'' \1\ On 
May 28, 2019,

[[Page 30469]]

HUD extended the demonstration for two years.\2\ HUD has again decided 
to continue the demonstration to assess the improvements and alignment 
of the HCV inspection protocol. This continuation furthers the 
direction contained in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, Public Law 114-113, approved 
December 18, 2015, and the proposals set forth in the Economic Growth 
and Recovery, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, 
Public Law 115-174,\3\ and the direction the Department has proposed in 
the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act: 
Implementation of National Standards for the Physical Inspection of 
Real Estate proposed rule.\4\ HUD seeks to continue this demonstration 
to further evaluate the application of NSPIRE standards on the HCV 
inspection program. In addition, the program-specific requirements in 
the respective sections of the above-mentioned demonstration notices 
continue to apply, other than, those specific references to HUD's 
testing of the Uniform Physical Condition Standards for Vouchers (UPCS-
V) related inspection protocols.\5\
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    \1\ Notice of Demonstration to Test Proposed New Method of 
Assessing the Physical Conditions of Voucher-Assisted Housing, 81 FR 
26759 (May 4, 2016) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/05/04/2016-10460/notice-of-demonstration-to-test-proposed-new-method-of-assessing-the-physical-conditions-of.
    \2\ Notice of Continuation of Demonstration to Test Proposed New 
Method of Assessing the Physical Conditions of Voucher-Assisted 
Housing, 84 FR 24416 (May 28, 2019) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/28/2019-11059/notice-of-continuation-of-demonstration-to-test-proposed-new-method-of-assessing-the-physical.
    \3\ The text of the Economic Growth Act, along with a summary 
prepared by the Congressional Research Service, can be found at 
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2155/text.
    \4\ See Economic Growth Regulatory Relief and Consumer 
Protection Act: Implementation of National Standards for the 
Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE), 86 FR 2582 (January 13, 
2021) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/13/2021-00098/economic-growth-regulatory-relief-and-consumer-protection-act-implementation-of-national-standards.
    \5\ See Notice of Demonstration to Test Proposed New Method of 
Assessing the Physical Conditions of Voucher-Assisted Housing, para. 
III.C and Notice of Continuation of Demonstration To Test Proposed 
New Method of Assessing the Physical Conditions of Voucher-Assisted 
Housing and Notice of Demonstration To Assess the National Standards 
for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate and Associated Protocols, 
paras. III.A, III.B, III.C, III.D, and IV.
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    Furthermore, HUD is lifting the three-year limitation to PHA 
participation contained in Section III, Part C., of the Notice of 
Demonstration To Test Proposed New Method of Assessing the Physical 
Conditions of Voucher-Assisted Housing.\6\ Accordingly, current PHA 
volunteers may continue to participate beyond the previous three-year 
limitation and for the duration of the demonstration. HUD, therefore, 
extends this demonstration through October 1, 2022. HUD may amend the 
demonstration dates in response to changes in programmatic and 
environmental conditions through subsequent Federal Register notices.
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    \6\ 81 FR 26759.
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    HUD is also seeking additional volunteers for the demonstration. 
Interested PHAs should email HUD at [email protected] and provide the PHA 
name, PHA address, point of contact, phone number, and email address.

Dominque Blom,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
[FR Doc. 2021-11926 Filed 6-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P