[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77066-77067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27273]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Housing Vacancy Survey

AGENCY: Census Bureau, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the 
proposed extension, without change, of the Housing Vacancy Survey, 
prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to 
OMB for approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before February 14, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference Housing Vacancy Survey in 
the subject line of your comments. You may also submit comments, 
identified by Docket Number USBC-2022-0025, 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 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Kyra Linse, Survey Director, Current Population and American Time 
Use Surveys, by phone at 301-763-3806 or email 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. There are no changes to the proposed data 
collection since the previous clearance, which expires June 30, 2023.
    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.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0179.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Request for an Extension, 
without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals who have knowledge of the vacant 
sample unit (landlords, rental agents, neighbors).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 72,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3600.
    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 specifically 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

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will

[[Page 77067]]

have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of 
the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to 
respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-27273 Filed 12-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P