Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Comment Request; HOME Investment Partnerships Program

AGENCY:

Office of the Chief Information Officer.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed information collection.

SUMMARY:

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: September 28, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name/or OMB approval number and should be sent to: Ms. Kimberly P. Nelson, HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; e-mail: Kimberly_P._Nelson@omb.eop.gov; fax: (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lillian Deitzer, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; e-mail: Lillian.L.Deitzer@hud.gov; telephone (202) 402-8048. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Deitzer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Notice will inform the public that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will submit the proposed information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35 as Amended).

This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

This Notice also lists the following information:

Title of Proposal: HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME).

Description of Information Collection: The information collected through HUD's Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) (§ 92.502) is used by HUD Field Offices, HUD Headquarters and HOME Program Participating Jurisdictions (PJs). The information on program funds committed and disbursed is used by HUD to track PJ performance and to determine compliance with the statutory 24-month commitment deadline and the regulatory 5-year expenditure deadline (§ 92.500(d)). The project-specific property, tenant, owner and financial data is used to compile annual reports to Congress required at Section 284(b) of the Act, as well as to make program management decisions about how well program participants are achieving the statutory objectives of the HOME Program. Program management reports are generated by IDIS to provide data on the status of program participants' commitment and disbursement of HOME funds. These reports are provided to HUD staff as well as to HOME PJs.

Management reports required in conjunction with the Annual Performance Report (§ 92.509) are used by HUD Field Offices to assess the effectiveness of locally designed programs in meeting specific statutory requirements and by Headquarters in preparing the Annual Report to Congress. Specifically, these reports permit HUD to determine compliance with the requirement that PJs provide a 25% match for HOME funds expended during the Federal fiscal year (Section 220 of the Act) and that program income be used for HOME eligible activities (Section 219 of the Act), as well as the Women and Minority Business Enterprise requirements (§ 92.351(b)).

Financial, project, tenant and owner documentation is used to determine compliance with HOME Program cost limits (Section 212(e) of the Act), eligible activities (§ 92.205), and eligible costs (§ 92.206), as well as to determine whether program participants are achieving the income targeting and affordability requirements of the Act (Sections 214 and 215). Other information collected under Subpart H (Other Federal Requirements) is primarily intended for local program management and is only viewed by HUD during routine monitoring visits. The written agreement with the owner for long-term obligation (§ 92.504) and tenant protections (§ 92.253) are required to ensure that the property owner complies with these important elements of the HOME Program and are also reviewed by HUD during monitoring visits. HUD reviews all other data collection requirements during monitoring to assure compliance with the requirements of Title II and other related laws and authorities.

HUD tracks PJ performance and compliance with the requirements of 24 CFR Parts 91 and 92. PJs use the required information in the execution of their program, and to gauge their own performance in relation to stated goals.

OMB Control Number: 2506-0171.

Agency Form Numbers: HUD 40093, SF 1199A, HUD 20755, HUD 40107, HUD 401107A.

Members of Affected Public: State and local government participating jurisdictions.

Estimation of the total numbers of hours needed to prepare the information collection including number of respondents, frequency of response, and hours of response:

Estimate of Respondent Cost: 522,103 hours × $31/hour = $16,185,193.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.