[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 190 (Monday, October 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59772-59773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21356]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service

[Docket No.: RHS-22-SFH-0021]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: American Rescue 
Plan Act, 2021 (ARPA)--7 CFR Part 3550, Direct Single Family Housing 
Sections 502 and 504 Loan Programs; OMB Control No.: 0575-NEW

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service 
announces its intention to request approval of a new information 
collection and invites comments on this information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 2, 2022 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:  Comments may be submitted electronically by the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the 
``Search for Rules, Proposed Rules, Notices or Supporting Documents'' 
box, enter the following docket number: (RHS-22-SFH-0021). To submit or 
view public comments, click ``Search'' button, select the ``Documents'' 
tab, then select the following document title: (American Rescue Plan 
Act, 2021 (ARPA)--7 CFR PART 3550, Direct Single Family Housing 
Sections 502 and 504 Loan Programs) from the ``Search Results'' and 
select the ``Comment'' button. Before submitting your comments, you may 
also review the ``Commenter's Checklist'' (optional). Insert your 
comments under the ``Comment'' title, click ``Browse'' to attach files 
(if available). Input your email address and select ``Submit Comment.'' 
Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for 
accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after 
the close of the comment period, is available through the site's 
``FAQ'' link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: MaryPat Daskal, Chief, Branch 1, Rural 
Development Innovation Center--Regulations Management Division, United 
States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-7853. Email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR part 1320) implementing provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) requires that interested members 
of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on 
information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies the following information collection 
that the Rural Housing Service is submitting to OMB as a new 
information collection.
    Title: American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (ARPA)--7 CFR PART 3550, 
``Direct Single Family Housing Sections 502 and 504 Loan Programs''.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-NEW.
    Expiration Date of Approval: N/A.
    Type of Request: Regular approval of a new information collection.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .20 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions and other businesses; 
individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,420.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,602 hours.
    Abstract: The Rural Housing Service, through its Direct Single 
Family Housing Section 502 and 504 loan programs, provide eligible 
applicants with financial assistance to own adequate but modest homes 
in rural areas. Title 7 CFR part 3550 sets forth the programs' policies 
and the programs' procedures can be found in its accompanying handbooks 
(Handbook-1-3550 and Handbook-2-3550). To originate and service direct 
loans and grants that comply with the programs' statute, policies, and 
procedures, RHS must collect information from low- and very low-income 
applicants, third parties associated with or working on behalf of the 
applicants, borrowers, and third parties associated with or working on 
behalf of the borrowers.
    The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2; sec. 
3207, H.R. 1319) appropriated additional funds for the Single Family 
Housing (SFH) Section 502 and 504 Direct Loan Program borrowers. The 
stated purpose of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 is to 
provide ``additional relief to address the continued impact of COVID-19 
on the economy, public health, state and local governments, 
individuals, and businesses.'' The Agency's objective under the ARPA is 
to refinance the existing section 502 direct and section 504 borrowers 
who have been granted and received a COVID-19 payment moratorium. 
Refinancing these loans with a lower interest rate and extended terms 
will help provide needed relief to low- and very-low-income borrowers, 
so that mortgage payments are more affordable post-moratorium.
    Information needed for origination purposes is largely collected by 
RD field staff from applicants and third parties associated with or 
working on behalf of the applicants. Information needed for servicing 
purposes is largely collected by the Servicing and Asset Management 
Office (Servicing Center) from borrowers and third parties associated 
with or working on behalf of the borrowers. The party collecting the 
information provides the respondent with the needed form(s) and/or non-
form(s) along with submission instructions. The information collected 
is used to:
     Determine if the applicable eligibility and/or action 
standards are met.
    [cir] If they are, the appropriate processing steps are taken.
    [cir] If they are not and the decision is adverse to the applicant/
borrower, the respondent is notified of their rights.
     Ensure that any payments (i.e., the extended financing and 
payment

[[Page 59773]]

subsidies) are proper under statutory, contractual, administrative, or 
other legally applicable requirements.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (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 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All 
responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request 
for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Kimble 
Brown, Rural Development Innovation Center--Regulations Management 
Division, at (202) 720-6780. Email: [email protected].
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

Jamal Habibi,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-21356 Filed 9-30-22; 8:45 am]
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