60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: HOME Investment Partnership Program

AGENCY:

Office of Community Planning and Development, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed information collection.

SUMMARY:

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: September 20, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone (202) 402-3400 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at Colette.Pollard@hud.gov for a copy of the proposed forms or other available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Huber, Deputy Director, Office of Affordable Housing Program, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Peter Huber at Peter.h.huber@hud.gov or telephone (202) 402-3941. This is not a toll-free number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME).

OMB Approval Number: 2506-0171.

Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.

Form Number: HUD 40093, SF 1199A, HUD 27055, HUD 40107, HUD 40107A.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The information collected through HUD's Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) (24 CFR 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 HOME Investment Partnerships 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 percent 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 the Act 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.

Respondents (i.e. affected public): State and local government participating jurisdictions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,667.

Estimated Number of Responses: 244,127.

Frequency of Response: Most data is collected annually, though there are specific items that are requested semi-annually or quarterly.

Average Hours per Response: 2.74 hours.

Total Estimated Burdens: 738,270 hours.

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following:

(1) 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) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Ways to 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.

HUD encourages interested parties to submit comments in response to these questions.

Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.