Privacy Act of 1974; Amendment to an existing System of Records, Enterprise Income Verification, HUD/PIH-5, 45066-45068 [E6-12802]
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45066
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 8, 2006 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No.FR–4922–N–19]
Privacy Act of 1974; Amendment to an
existing System of Records, Enterprise
Income Verification, HUD/PIH–5
Office of the Chief Information
Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Notification of an amendment to
an existing System of Records,
Enterprise Income Verification (EIV),
HUD/PIH–5.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: HUD is amending HUD/PIH–
5 to reflect changes in the following
section: Categories of Individuals
Covered by the System, Categories of
Records in the System, Authority for
Maintenance of the System, Purpose of
the System and the Routine Uses. These
sections are revised to reflect the
present status of the information
contained in the system. A more
detailed description of the present
system is contained in the
Supplemental Information section.
DATES: Effective Date: This proposal
shall become effective without further
notice September 7, 2006 unless
comments are received during or before
this period which would result in a
contrary determination.
Comments Due Date: September 7,
2006.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit comments regarding
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk,
Office of General Counsel, Department
of Housing and Urban Development,
451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 10276,
Washington, DC 20410–0500.
Communications should refer to the
above docket number and title.
Facsimile (FAX) comments are not
acceptable. A copy of each
communication submitted will be
available for public inspection and
copying between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
weekdays at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jeanette Smith, Departmental Privacy
Act Officer, telephone number (202)
708–2374. Regarding records
maintained in Washington, DC, for the
Office of Public and Indian Housing,
contact Nicole Faison, Director of Public
Housing and EIV Program Office Project
Manager, telephone number (202) 708–
0744. For the Office of Housing, contact
Gail Williamson, Director of the
Housing Assistance Policy Division,
telephone number (202) 708–3000
extension 2473. [The above are not toll
free numbers.] A telecommunications
device for hearing and speech-impaired
persons (TTY) is available at 1–800–
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:06 Aug 07, 2006
Jkt 208001
877–8339 (Federal Information Relay
Services). (This is a toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently
supporting public housing agencies
(PHAs) that administer public housing
and Section 8 tenant-based rental
assistance programs, this system of
records is being made available to
private owners and management agents
(O/As) who administer rental assistance
programs for the Office of Housing
(Housing) and contract administrators
(CAs) under contract with HUD. EIV
will contain income data for public
housing, Section 8, and multifamily
housing program participants, enabling
program administrators to verify
participant-reported income and
identify households that may have
under reported their household’s annual
income.
HUD developed the EIV system to
reduce subsidy payment errors as a
result of tenant under reporting of
income to ensure that limited federal
resources serve as many eligible families
as possible. EIV will facilitate more
timely and accurate verification of
tenant-reported income at the time of
mandatory annual and interim
reexamination of household income.
EIV will contain personal identifying
information from HUD’s Public and
Indian Housing Information Center (PIC)
and Tenant Rental Assistance
Certification System (TRACS), such as
Head of Households and household
members name, date of birth and Social
Security Number (SSN), unit address,
program information, and household
income details as reported by the
participant to the program
administrator. These personal
identifying data are extracted from PIC
and TRACS and imported into EIV. The
system also contains household
member(s) income details as reported by
state and federal agencies. HUD obtains
income details through computer
matching programs.
System Security Measures: The
integrity and availability of data in EIV
is important. Much of the data needs to
be protected from unanticipated or
unintentional modification. HUD
restricts the use of this information to
HUD approved officials, program
administrators such as PHAs and O/As,
and CAs under contract with HUD; thus,
the data is protected accordingly.
Vulnerabilities and corresponding
security measures include: (1) only
persons with Web Access Subsystem
(WASS) User IDs and passwords may
access EIV; (2) access to EIV is
controlled using EIV’s security module,
which controls a user’s access to
particular modules based on the user’s
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Frm 00073
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
role and security access level; (3) User
IDs are used to identify access to
sensitive data by users; (4) data
corruption/destruction-PHA, O/A and
CA users do not have write access to
databases. HUD user’s write access is
limited to user administration by
authorized personnel. This will
eliminate the risk of data destruction or
corruption.
Data Quality: O/As enter
management, building, unit, and family
information into PIC and TRACS.
Family information includes the
families’ names, SSNs, and dates of
birth. When a PHA or O/A submits
family data to PIC or TRACS, the EIV
system will validate each household
member’s identity. HUD will only
transmit to the Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) for
computer matching those tenant
personal identifiers (i.e., full name,
SSN, and date of birth) that have been
validated by the Social Security
Administration (SSA). If a household
member’s identity cannot be validated,
EIV will (1) flag the household member
record; (2) provide an error message to
the PHA or O/A, informing the PHA or
O/A to verify the household member’s
SSN, name, and/or date of birth; and (3)
request the PHA or O/A to submit a
corrected record (Form HUD–50058 or
Form HUD–50059) into PIC or TRACS.
EIV will remove the unverified
household member record from
computer matching request files.
This household member identity
verification feature was established to
help HUD maintain data quality and
integrity and to support one of its
strategic objectives to prevent fraud and
abuse. This identity verification feature
will (1) help confirm that those families
entitled to benefits receive benefits, (2)
assist in limiting the duplication of
benefits, and (3) help prevent the false
application for benefits, thereby
ensuring data quality.
EIV will receive (1) new hires (W–4),
wage, and unemployment insurance
claim data from HHS’ National
Directory of New Hires (NDNH)
database, (2) wage and unemployment
insurance claim data from State Wage
Information Collection Agencies
(SWICAs), and (3) Social Security (SS)
and Supplemental Security Income
(SSI) benefits data from the Social
Security Administration (SSA). This
will allow PHAs and O/As to verify the
income of tenants at the time of
mandatory annual and/or interim
reexaminations.
Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5
U.S.C. 552a), as amended, notice is
given that HUD proposes to amend an
existing Privacy System of Records,
E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM
08AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 8, 2006 / Notices
Enterprise Income Verification, HUD/
PIH–5.
Title 5 U.S.C 552a(e) (4) and (11)
provide that the public be afforded a 30day period in which to comment on the
new record system. The new system
report was submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), the
Senate Committee on Governmental
Affairs and the House Committee on
Government Reform pursuant to
paragraph 4c of Appendix l to OMB
Circular No. A–130, ‘‘Federal
Responsibilities for Maintaining
Records About Individuals,’’ July 25,
1994 (59 FR 37914).
Accordingly, this notice amends
HUD/PIH–5 system of records for the
Office of Housing’s Multifamily Housing
Program administrators and
accompanying routine uses to be
submitted and accessed in the
management of rental assistance
housing programs by the Office of
Housing.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a; 88 Stat. 1896; 42
U.S.C. 3535(d).
Dated: August 1, 2006.
Lisa Schlosser,
Chief Information Officer.
HUD/PIH–5
SYSTEM NAME:
Enterprise Income Verification (EIV).
SYSTEM LOCATIONS:
The files will be maintained at the
following location: U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 451
7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410.
Lockheed Martin Corporation, located at
4701 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, MD 20706,
will monitor access of any encrypted
files containing social security and rent
information (subject to the provisions of
26 U.S.C. 6103).
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE
SYSTEM:
Families receiving rental housing
assistance via programs administered by
the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Tribally Designated
Housing Entities participating in the
Section 8 program, PHAs and/or O/As
and State agencies and PHAs acting as
CAs.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Records consist of unit address
(subsidized property address), family
composition, and income data obtained
from PHAs and O/As. The system of
records contains—identification
information such as names, dates of
birth and SSNs for individuals;
addresses; financial data such as tenantreported income; data obtained from
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20:06 Aug 07, 2006
Jkt 208001
SWICAs on wages and unemployment
claim information; data obtained from
SSA on SS and SSI benefit information;
data obtained from NDNH on new hire,
wages and unemployment claim
information; annual income
discrepancies as a result of the
comparison of tenant reported income
to actual income as reported by third
party sources such as SWICAs and
Federal agencies.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Pursuant to the Stewart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Amendments Act
of 1988 and Section 303(i) of the Social
Security Act, HUD and HUD-funded
PHAs may request wage and claim data
from SWICAs responsible for
administering state unemployment
laws. On October 1, 1994, Section
542(a)(1) of HUD’s 1998 Appropriation
Act, eliminated a sunset provision to
Section 303(i) of the Social Security Act,
effectively making permanent the
authority requiring state agencies to
disclose wage and claim information to
HUD and PHAs. On January 23, 2004,
Section 453(j) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 653(j)) was amended to allow
HUD to obtain income information from
the NDNH database and disclose this
information to PHAs for the purpose of
verifying employment and income of
rental housing program participants.
HUD may disclose NDNH data to a
private owner, management agent, and
contract administrator under contract
with HUD based on (1) an evaluation of
the costs and benefits of disclosures
made to PHAs, and (2) the adequacy of
measures used to safeguard the security
and confidentiality of information so
disclosed. Disclosure of NDNH data to
O/As and CAs is only as needed for
verifying the employment and income
of multifamily housing program
participants. The Housing and
Community Development Act of 1987
authorizes HUD to require applicants for
and participants in HUD-administered
rental housing assistance programs to
disclose to HUD their SSNs as a
condition of initial or continued
eligibility for participation in these HUD
programs. The Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Budget
Reconciliation Act) authorizes HUD to
request from SSA federal tax data, as
prescribed in section 6103(l)(7) of title
26 of the United States Code (Internal
Revenue Code).
PURPOSES:
The primary purpose of EIV is to
allow PHAs and O/As to verify tenant
reported income, identify unreported
income sources and/or amounts
received by program participants, and
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Frm 00074
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
45067
identify substantial annual income
discrepancies amongst households that
receive HUD-provided rental assistance
through programs administered by PIH
and Housing. The first release of EIV
was successfully implemented on
August 16, 2004. EIV is a simple,
Internet-based integrated system, which
enables PHA users, HUD personnel and
O/As to access a common database of
tenant information via their Web
browser. EIV will aid HUD and entities
that administer HUD’s assisted housing
programs in: (a) increasing the effective
distribution of rental assistance to
individuals that meet the requirements
of federal rental assistance programs, (b)
detecting abuses in assisted housing
programs, (c) taking administrative or
legal actions to resolve past and current
abuses of assisted housing programs, (d)
deterring abuses by verifying the income
of tenants at the time of annual and
interim reexaminations via the use of
electronic income data received from
SWICAs, NDNH, and SSA, (e)
evaluating the effectiveness of income
discrepancy resolution actions taken by
O/As and PHAs for some of HUD’s
rental assistance programs, and (f)
reducing administrative burden of
obtaining written or oral third party
verification (when the tenant does not
dispute information provided by EIV.
EIV is a management information
system that contains tools to help: (1)
improve the income verification
process, (2) monitor incidents of
potential tenant under reporting of
household income, (3) produce
management reports, and (4) conduct
risk assessments.
The EIV system serves as a repository
for automated information used when
comparing family income data reported
by recipients of federal rental assistance
to income data received from external
sources (e.g., NDNH, SWICAs, SSA,
etc.). Records in TRACS, PIC, and EIV
are subject to use in authorized and
approved computer matching programs
regulated under the Privacy Act of 1974,
as amended.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE
SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND
PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
In addition to the uses cited in the
section of this document titled
‘‘Purposes’’, other routine uses may
include:
1. To Federal, State, and local
agencies (e.g., state agencies
administering the state’s unemployment
compensation laws, state welfare and
food stamp agencies, U.S Office of
Personnel Management, U.S. Postal
Service, U.S. Department of Defense,
U.S. Department of Health and Human
E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM
08AUN1
45068
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 8, 2006 / Notices
Services, and U.S. Social Security
Administration)—to verify the accuracy
and completeness of the data provided,
to verify eligibility or continued
eligibility in HUD’s rental assistance
programs, and to aid in the
identification of tenant errors, fraud,
and abuse in assisted housing programs
through HUD’s tenant income computer
matching program;
2. To individuals under contract to
HUD or under contract to another
agency with funds provided by HUD—
for the preparation of studies and
statistical reports directly related to the
management of HUD’s rental assistance
programs, to support quality control for
tenant eligibility efforts requiring a
random sampling of tenant files to
determine the extent of administrative
errors in making rent calculations,
eligibility determinations, etc., and for
processing certifications/recertifications;
3. To PHAs and O/As—to verify the
accuracy and completeness of tenant
data used in determining eligibility and
continued eligibility and the amount of
housing assistance received;
4. To PHAs, O/As, and CAs—to
identify and resolve discrepancies in
tenant data; and
5. To researchers affiliated with
academic institutions, with not-forprofit organizations, or with Federal,
State or local governments, or to policy
researchers—without individual
identifiers—name, address, SSN—for
the performance of research and
statistical activities on housing and
community development issues.
POLICIES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, AND
DISPOSING OF SYSTEM RECORDS STORAGE:
Records are stored manually in family
case files and electronically in office
automation equipment. Records are
stored on HUD computer servers for
field office, PHAs’, and O/A’ access via
the Internet to: (1) obtain SS and SSI
data that are not subject to provisions of
26 U.S.C. 6103; (2) obtain wage and
unemployment compensation data; and
(3) obtain household income
discrepancies reports. Software in EIV
precludes the transfer of any data
subject to 26 U.S.C. 6103 to
unencrypted media.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
RETRIEVABILITY:
Records may be retrieved by computer
search of indices by the Head of
Household’s name, date of birth, and/or
SSN of an existing HUD program
participant.
SAFEGUARDS:
Records are maintained at the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban
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20:06 Aug 07, 2006
Jkt 208001
Development in Washington, DC with
limited access to those persons whose
official duties require the use of such
records. Computer files and printed
listings are maintained in locked
cabinets. Printed listings include
masked dates of birth and SSNs.
Computer terminals are secured in
controlled areas, which are locked when
unoccupied. Access to automated
records is limited to authorized
personnel who must use a password
system to gain access. HUD will
safeguard the SSN, income, and
personal identifying information
obtained pursuant to 26 U.S.C.
6103(l)(7)(A) and (B) in accordance with
26 U.S.C. 6103(p)(4) and the IRS’s ‘‘Tax
Information Security Guidelines for
Federal, State and Local Agencies,’’
Publication 1075 (REV 6/2000).
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
Computerized family records are
maintained in a password-protected
environment. If information is needed
for evidentiary purposes,
documentation will be referred to the
HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG)
in Washington, DC or other appropriate
Federal, State or local agencies charged
with the responsibility of investigating
or prosecuting violators of Federal law.
Documents referred to HUD’s OIG will
become part of OIG’s Investigative Files.
Records will be retained and disposed
of in accordance with the General
Records Schedule included in HUD
Handbook 2228.2, appendix 14, item 25.
SYSTEM MANAGERS AND ADDRESSES:
David Sandler, PIH Project Manager of
the EIV system, U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 550
12th Street SW., First Floor—Desk 1304,
Washington, DC 20410. Lanier Hylton,
Housing Project Manager of the EIV
system, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 7th Street,
SW., Room 6140, Washington, DC
20410.
NOTIFICATION AND RECORD ACCESS
PROCEDURES:
Individuals seeking to determine
whether this system of records contains
information about them, or those
seeking access to such records, should
address inquiries to the Director of the
Office of Public and Indian Housing,
Office of Public Housing and Voucher
Programs or the Director of the Office of
Housing, Office of Housing Assistance
Contract Administration Oversight, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 7th Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20410. Written requests
must include the full name, SSN, date
of birth, current address, and telephone
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Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
number of the individual making the
request.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Procedures for the amendment or
correction of records, and for applicants
wanting to appeal initial agency
determinations based on data in EIV,
appear in 24 CFR part 16.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
PIH and Housing may receive data
from HUD field office staff, Federal
Government agencies, State and local
agencies, private data sources, owners
and management agents, PHAs, and
contract administrators. PHAs and O/As
routinely collect personal and income
data from participants in and applicants
for HUD’s public and assisted housing
programs. The data collected by PHAs
and O/As is entered into the PIC and
TRACS system, respectively, on-line via
the system itself, via PHA or O/Aowned software, or via HUD’s Family
Reporting Software (FRS). Data from PIC
and TRACS is imported into EIV and
used to create request files for computer
matching programs.
EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE
ACT:
None.
[FR Doc. E6–12802 Filed 8–7–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary
Notice of Proposed Information
Collection
Office of the Secretary, Take
Pride in America Program.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the
Secretary of the Department of the
Interior announces the proposed
extension of a public information
collection required by the Take Pride in
America Program Act, 16 U.S.C. 4601–
4608, ‘‘Take Pride in America National
Awards Application/Nomination
Process,’’ OMB Control No. 1093–0004,
and that it is seeking comments on its
provisions. After public review, the
Office of the Secretary will submit the
information collection to the Office of
Management and Budget for review and
approval.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all
comments received by October 10, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations on the proposed
E:\FR\FM\08AUN1.SGM
08AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45066-45068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12802]
[[Page 45066]]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No.FR-4922-N-19]
Privacy Act of 1974; Amendment to an existing System of Records,
Enterprise Income Verification, HUD/PIH-5
AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Notification of an amendment to an existing System of Records,
Enterprise Income Verification (EIV), HUD/PIH-5.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: HUD is amending HUD/PIH-5 to reflect changes in the following
section: Categories of Individuals Covered by the System, Categories of
Records in the System, Authority for Maintenance of the System, Purpose
of the System and the Routine Uses. These sections are revised to
reflect the present status of the information contained in the system.
A more detailed description of the present system is contained in the
Supplemental Information section.
DATES: Effective Date: This proposal shall become effective without
further notice September 7, 2006 unless comments are received during or
before this period which would result in a contrary determination.
Comments Due Date: September 7, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel,
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,
Room 10276, Washington, DC 20410-0500. Communications should refer to
the above docket number and title. Facsimile (FAX) comments are not
acceptable. A copy of each communication submitted will be available
for public inspection and copying between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at
the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, Departmental Privacy
Act Officer, telephone number (202) 708-2374. Regarding records
maintained in Washington, DC, for the Office of Public and Indian
Housing, contact Nicole Faison, Director of Public Housing and EIV
Program Office Project Manager, telephone number (202) 708-0744. For
the Office of Housing, contact Gail Williamson, Director of the Housing
Assistance Policy Division, telephone number (202) 708-3000 extension
2473. [The above are not toll free numbers.] A telecommunications
device for hearing and speech-impaired persons (TTY) is available at 1-
800-877-8339 (Federal Information Relay Services). (This is a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently supporting public housing agencies
(PHAs) that administer public housing and Section 8 tenant-based rental
assistance programs, this system of records is being made available to
private owners and management agents (O/As) who administer rental
assistance programs for the Office of Housing (Housing) and contract
administrators (CAs) under contract with HUD. EIV will contain income
data for public housing, Section 8, and multifamily housing program
participants, enabling program administrators to verify participant-
reported income and identify households that may have under reported
their household's annual income.
HUD developed the EIV system to reduce subsidy payment errors as a
result of tenant under reporting of income to ensure that limited
federal resources serve as many eligible families as possible. EIV will
facilitate more timely and accurate verification of tenant-reported
income at the time of mandatory annual and interim reexamination of
household income.
EIV will contain personal identifying information from HUD's Public
and Indian Housing Information Center (PIC) and Tenant Rental
Assistance Certification System (TRACS), such as Head of Households and
household members name, date of birth and Social Security Number (SSN),
unit address, program information, and household income details as
reported by the participant to the program administrator. These
personal identifying data are extracted from PIC and TRACS and imported
into EIV. The system also contains household member(s) income details
as reported by state and federal agencies. HUD obtains income details
through computer matching programs.
System Security Measures: The integrity and availability of data in
EIV is important. Much of the data needs to be protected from
unanticipated or unintentional modification. HUD restricts the use of
this information to HUD approved officials, program administrators such
as PHAs and O/As, and CAs under contract with HUD; thus, the data is
protected accordingly.
Vulnerabilities and corresponding security measures include: (1)
only persons with Web Access Subsystem (WASS) User IDs and passwords
may access EIV; (2) access to EIV is controlled using EIV's security
module, which controls a user's access to particular modules based on
the user's role and security access level; (3) User IDs are used to
identify access to sensitive data by users; (4) data corruption/
destruction-PHA, O/A and CA users do not have write access to
databases. HUD user's write access is limited to user administration by
authorized personnel. This will eliminate the risk of data destruction
or corruption.
Data Quality: O/As enter management, building, unit, and family
information into PIC and TRACS. Family information includes the
families' names, SSNs, and dates of birth. When a PHA or O/A submits
family data to PIC or TRACS, the EIV system will validate each
household member's identity. HUD will only transmit to the Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) for computer matching those tenant
personal identifiers (i.e., full name, SSN, and date of birth) that
have been validated by the Social Security Administration (SSA). If a
household member's identity cannot be validated, EIV will (1) flag the
household member record; (2) provide an error message to the PHA or O/
A, informing the PHA or O/A to verify the household member's SSN, name,
and/or date of birth; and (3) request the PHA or O/A to submit a
corrected record (Form HUD-50058 or Form HUD-50059) into PIC or TRACS.
EIV will remove the unverified household member record from computer
matching request files.
This household member identity verification feature was established
to help HUD maintain data quality and integrity and to support one of
its strategic objectives to prevent fraud and abuse. This identity
verification feature will (1) help confirm that those families entitled
to benefits receive benefits, (2) assist in limiting the duplication of
benefits, and (3) help prevent the false application for benefits,
thereby ensuring data quality.
EIV will receive (1) new hires (W-4), wage, and unemployment
insurance claim data from HHS' National Directory of New Hires (NDNH)
database, (2) wage and unemployment insurance claim data from State
Wage Information Collection Agencies (SWICAs), and (3) Social Security
(SS) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits data from the
Social Security Administration (SSA). This will allow PHAs and O/As to
verify the income of tenants at the time of mandatory annual and/or
interim reexaminations.
Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended,
notice is given that HUD proposes to amend an existing Privacy System
of Records,
[[Page 45067]]
Enterprise Income Verification, HUD/PIH-5.
Title 5 U.S.C 552a(e) (4) and (11) provide that the public be
afforded a 30-day period in which to comment on the new record system.
The new system report was submitted to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the
House Committee on Government Reform pursuant to paragraph 4c of
Appendix l to OMB Circular No. A-130, ``Federal Responsibilities for
Maintaining Records About Individuals,'' July 25, 1994 (59 FR 37914).
Accordingly, this notice amends HUD/PIH-5 system of records for the
Office of Housing's Multifamily Housing Program administrators and
accompanying routine uses to be submitted and accessed in the
management of rental assistance housing programs by the Office of
Housing.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a; 88 Stat. 1896; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d).
Dated: August 1, 2006.
Lisa Schlosser,
Chief Information Officer.
HUD/PIH-5
SYSTEM NAME:
Enterprise Income Verification (EIV).
SYSTEM LOCATIONS:
The files will be maintained at the following location: U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20410. Lockheed Martin Corporation, located at 4701
Forbes Blvd., Lanham, MD 20706, will monitor access of any encrypted
files containing social security and rent information (subject to the
provisions of 26 U.S.C. 6103).
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Families receiving rental housing assistance via programs
administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Tribally Designated Housing Entities participating in the Section 8
program, PHAs and/or O/As and State agencies and PHAs acting as CAs.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Records consist of unit address (subsidized property address),
family composition, and income data obtained from PHAs and O/As. The
system of records contains--identification information such as names,
dates of birth and SSNs for individuals; addresses; financial data such
as tenant-reported income; data obtained from SWICAs on wages and
unemployment claim information; data obtained from SSA on SS and SSI
benefit information; data obtained from NDNH on new hire, wages and
unemployment claim information; annual income discrepancies as a result
of the comparison of tenant reported income to actual income as
reported by third party sources such as SWICAs and Federal agencies.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Pursuant to the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments
Act of 1988 and Section 303(i) of the Social Security Act, HUD and HUD-
funded PHAs may request wage and claim data from SWICAs responsible for
administering state unemployment laws. On October 1, 1994, Section
542(a)(1) of HUD's 1998 Appropriation Act, eliminated a sunset
provision to Section 303(i) of the Social Security Act, effectively
making permanent the authority requiring state agencies to disclose
wage and claim information to HUD and PHAs. On January 23, 2004,
Section 453(j) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)) was
amended to allow HUD to obtain income information from the NDNH
database and disclose this information to PHAs for the purpose of
verifying employment and income of rental housing program participants.
HUD may disclose NDNH data to a private owner, management agent, and
contract administrator under contract with HUD based on (1) an
evaluation of the costs and benefits of disclosures made to PHAs, and
(2) the adequacy of measures used to safeguard the security and
confidentiality of information so disclosed. Disclosure of NDNH data to
O/As and CAs is only as needed for verifying the employment and income
of multifamily housing program participants. The Housing and Community
Development Act of 1987 authorizes HUD to require applicants for and
participants in HUD-administered rental housing assistance programs to
disclose to HUD their SSNs as a condition of initial or continued
eligibility for participation in these HUD programs. The Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Budget Reconciliation Act) authorizes HUD
to request from SSA federal tax data, as prescribed in section
6103(l)(7) of title 26 of the United States Code (Internal Revenue
Code).
PURPOSES:
The primary purpose of EIV is to allow PHAs and O/As to verify
tenant reported income, identify unreported income sources and/or
amounts received by program participants, and identify substantial
annual income discrepancies amongst households that receive HUD-
provided rental assistance through programs administered by PIH and
Housing. The first release of EIV was successfully implemented on
August 16, 2004. EIV is a simple, Internet-based integrated system,
which enables PHA users, HUD personnel and O/As to access a common
database of tenant information via their Web browser. EIV will aid HUD
and entities that administer HUD's assisted housing programs in: (a)
increasing the effective distribution of rental assistance to
individuals that meet the requirements of federal rental assistance
programs, (b) detecting abuses in assisted housing programs, (c) taking
administrative or legal actions to resolve past and current abuses of
assisted housing programs, (d) deterring abuses by verifying the income
of tenants at the time of annual and interim reexaminations via the use
of electronic income data received from SWICAs, NDNH, and SSA, (e)
evaluating the effectiveness of income discrepancy resolution actions
taken by O/As and PHAs for some of HUD's rental assistance programs,
and (f) reducing administrative burden of obtaining written or oral
third party verification (when the tenant does not dispute information
provided by EIV. EIV is a management information system that contains
tools to help: (1) improve the income verification process, (2) monitor
incidents of potential tenant under reporting of household income, (3)
produce management reports, and (4) conduct risk assessments.
The EIV system serves as a repository for automated information
used when comparing family income data reported by recipients of
federal rental assistance to income data received from external sources
(e.g., NDNH, SWICAs, SSA, etc.). Records in TRACS, PIC, and EIV are
subject to use in authorized and approved computer matching programs
regulated under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
In addition to the uses cited in the section of this document
titled ``Purposes'', other routine uses may include:
1. To Federal, State, and local agencies (e.g., state agencies
administering the state's unemployment compensation laws, state welfare
and food stamp agencies, U.S Office of Personnel Management, U.S.
Postal Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Health
and Human
[[Page 45068]]
Services, and U.S. Social Security Administration)--to verify the
accuracy and completeness of the data provided, to verify eligibility
or continued eligibility in HUD's rental assistance programs, and to
aid in the identification of tenant errors, fraud, and abuse in
assisted housing programs through HUD's tenant income computer matching
program;
2. To individuals under contract to HUD or under contract to
another agency with funds provided by HUD--for the preparation of
studies and statistical reports directly related to the management of
HUD's rental assistance programs, to support quality control for tenant
eligibility efforts requiring a random sampling of tenant files to
determine the extent of administrative errors in making rent
calculations, eligibility determinations, etc., and for processing
certifications/re-certifications;
3. To PHAs and O/As--to verify the accuracy and completeness of
tenant data used in determining eligibility and continued eligibility
and the amount of housing assistance received;
4. To PHAs, O/As, and CAs--to identify and resolve discrepancies in
tenant data; and
5. To researchers affiliated with academic institutions, with not-
for-profit organizations, or with Federal, State or local governments,
or to policy researchers--without individual identifiers--name,
address, SSN--for the performance of research and statistical
activities on housing and community development issues.
POLICIES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, AND DISPOSING OF SYSTEM RECORDS
STORAGE:
Records are stored manually in family case files and electronically
in office automation equipment. Records are stored on HUD computer
servers for field office, PHAs', and O/A' access via the Internet to:
(1) obtain SS and SSI data that are not subject to provisions of 26
U.S.C. 6103; (2) obtain wage and unemployment compensation data; and
(3) obtain household income discrepancies reports. Software in EIV
precludes the transfer of any data subject to 26 U.S.C. 6103 to
unencrypted media.
RETRIEVABILITY:
Records may be retrieved by computer search of indices by the Head
of Household's name, date of birth, and/or SSN of an existing HUD
program participant.
SAFEGUARDS:
Records are maintained at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development in Washington, DC with limited access to those persons
whose official duties require the use of such records. Computer files
and printed listings are maintained in locked cabinets. Printed
listings include masked dates of birth and SSNs. Computer terminals are
secured in controlled areas, which are locked when unoccupied. Access
to automated records is limited to authorized personnel who must use a
password system to gain access. HUD will safeguard the SSN, income, and
personal identifying information obtained pursuant to 26 U.S.C.
6103(l)(7)(A) and (B) in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6103(p)(4) and the
IRS's ``Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and
Local Agencies,'' Publication 1075 (REV 6/2000).
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
Computerized family records are maintained in a password-protected
environment. If information is needed for evidentiary purposes,
documentation will be referred to the HUD Office of Inspector General
(OIG) in Washington, DC or other appropriate Federal, State or local
agencies charged with the responsibility of investigating or
prosecuting violators of Federal law. Documents referred to HUD's OIG
will become part of OIG's Investigative Files. Records will be retained
and disposed of in accordance with the General Records Schedule
included in HUD Handbook 2228.2, appendix 14, item 25.
SYSTEM MANAGERS AND ADDRESSES:
David Sandler, PIH Project Manager of the EIV system, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 550 12th Street SW., First
Floor--Desk 1304, Washington, DC 20410. Lanier Hylton, Housing Project
Manager of the EIV system, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Room 6140, Washington, DC 20410.
NOTIFICATION AND RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Individuals seeking to determine whether this system of records
contains information about them, or those seeking access to such
records, should address inquiries to the Director of the Office of
Public and Indian Housing, Office of Public Housing and Voucher
Programs or the Director of the Office of Housing, Office of Housing
Assistance Contract Administration Oversight, U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC
20410. Written requests must include the full name, SSN, date of birth,
current address, and telephone number of the individual making the
request.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Procedures for the amendment or correction of records, and for
applicants wanting to appeal initial agency determinations based on
data in EIV, appear in 24 CFR part 16.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
PIH and Housing may receive data from HUD field office staff,
Federal Government agencies, State and local agencies, private data
sources, owners and management agents, PHAs, and contract
administrators. PHAs and O/As routinely collect personal and income
data from participants in and applicants for HUD's public and assisted
housing programs. The data collected by PHAs and O/As is entered into
the PIC and TRACS system, respectively, on-line via the system itself,
via PHA or O/A-owned software, or via HUD's Family Reporting Software
(FRS). Data from PIC and TRACS is imported into EIV and used to create
request files for computer matching programs.
EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ACT:
None.
[FR Doc. E6-12802 Filed 8-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P