Privacy Act; Notification of New Privacy Act System of Records, Housing Counseling Research Data Files, 54847-54849 [E8-22144]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 23, 2008 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–5191–N–25]
Notice of Proposed Information
Collection: Comment Request;
Treatment Builder’s Certification and
Guarantee, and the new Construction
Subterranean Termite Soil Treatment
Record
Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Housing, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
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: November
24, 2008.
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:
Lillian Deitzer, Departmental Reports
Management Officer, QDAM,
Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 7th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20410; e-mail Lillian_
L._Deitzer@HUD.gov or telephone (202)
402–8048.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Margaret E. Burns, Director, Office of
Single Family Program Development,
Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 7th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202)
708–2121 (this is not a toll free number)
for copies of the proposed forms and
other available information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department is submitting 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 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
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16:54 Sep 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
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: Subterranean
Termite Treatment Builder’s
Certification and Guarantee, and the
New Construction Subterranean Termite
Soil Treatment Record.
OMB Control Number, if applicable:
2502–0525.
Description of the need for the
information and proposed use: HUD’s
collection of this information permits
the NPCA–99A to establish the builder’s
warranty against termites for a period of
one year bringing it into conformance
with other builder warranties HUD
requires for newly constructed housing.
The NPCA–99B is submitted to the
builder of new homes when the soil
treatment method is used for termite
prevention.
Agency form numbers, if applicable:
HUD–NPCA–99A, and HUD–NPCA–
99B.
Estimation of the total numbers of
hours needed to prepare the information
collection including number of
respondents, frequency of response, and
hours of response: The estimated
number of respondents is 63,123
generating 126,246 annual response,
frequency of response is on occasion,
the estimated time per response varies
from approximately 5 minutes to 15
minutes, and the estimated annual
burden hours is 21,540.
Status of the proposed information
collection: Currently approved.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 35, as amended.
Dated: September 8, 2008.
Ronald Y. Spraker,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Housing-Deputy Federal Housing
Commissioner.
[FR Doc. E8–22143 Filed 9–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–5130–N–30]
Privacy Act; Notification of New
Privacy Act System of Records,
Housing Counseling Research Data
Files
Office of the Chief Information
Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Establishment of a new Privacy
Act system of records.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Department of Housing
and Urban Development HUD proposes
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
54847
to establish a new record system to add
to its inventory of systems of records
subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5
U.S.C. 552a), as amended. The proposed
new system of record is the Housing
Counseling Research Data Files. The
records system will be used by HUD’s
Office of Policy Development and
Research (PD&R) to conduct research
and evaluation study of certain
participants of HUD-funded Housing
Counseling Agencies. Refer to the
‘‘Objective’’ caption to obtain detailed
information about the purpose of this
study.
DATES: Effective Date: This action shall
be effective without further notice on
October 23, 2008 unless comments are
received that would result in a contrary
determination.
Comments Due Date: October 23,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit comments regarding
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk,
Office of General Counsel, Room 10276,
Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20410.
Communications should refer to the
above docket number and title. 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:
Donna Robinson-Staton, Departmental
Privacy Act Officer, Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 451
Seventh Street, SW., Room 4178,
Washington, DC 20410, telephone
number (202) 402–8073. (This is not a
toll-free number.) A telecommunication
device for hearing- and speech-impaired
individuals (TTY) is available at 1–800–
877–8339 (Federal Information Relay
Service).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C.
552a), as amended notice is given that
HUD proposes to establish a new system
of records as identified as Housing
Counseling Data Files.
Title 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11)
provides that the public be afforded a
30-day period in which to comment on
the new system of records, and requires
published notice of the existence and
character of the system of records.
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 1
to OMB Circular No. A–130, ‘‘Federal
Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining
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jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
54848
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 23, 2008 / Notices
Records About Individuals,’’ July 25,
1994; 59 FR 37914.
System Security Measures: The
availability and data in Housing
Counseling Data Files are important.
Much of the data needs to be protected
from unanticipated or unintentional
modification. HUD restricts the use of
the information to HUD’s Abt Associates
Inc. contractors’ oversight
responsibility, vulnerabilities and
corresponding security measures to
ensure data protection as follows: Each
employee at IMPAQ has a unique
identifier. There is no general company
ID that can be used by multiple
employees to log in to the system. It is
a violation of IMPAQ security policy to
share usernames and logins with anyone
else. When an employee leaves IMPAQ,
part of the exit checklist is to disable the
employee’s account, so that the
employees can no longer log in and
remote access privileges are also
disabled. Access rights will be
selectively granted, depending on duties
and need-to-know. Full access rights to
all data in the system will be granted to
fewer than 5 users, primarily project
managers at IMPAQ and Abt Associates.
Limited access rights will be granted to
all counselors. Counselors will only
have the ability to review records
pertaining to clients of their agency. No
disks or tapes are involved in the
system. The consent forms validating
the applicant’s participation in the
study will be scanned into electronic
files that will be encrypted and then
provided to Abt Associates via a secure,
password protected HTTPS site. The
baseline questionnaires will be entered
into a secure electronic database that is
encrypted at the database level. Both the
consent forms and baseline
questionnaires will then be stored at a
secure off-site facility for the duration of
the project. All other data will be
entered into the database by counselors
via a secure Web site so that all data
transmitted over the Internet are
encrypted. Counselors will only able to
access data under their jurisdiction;
downloading of data is not permitted
from the actual system. Counselors
would access the system through the
Internet via Internet Explorer Web
browser. The system requires a
username and password to gain access,
and only authorized counselors or staff
at each agency would be provided with
a username and password. Backup is
performed through an online vendor
who backs up data on a frequent, regular
basis in a manner such that the data are
encrypted while in transmission over
the Internet. No hard-copy printouts
containing personal information are
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16:54 Sep 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
anticipated to be generated on a regular
basis. If any are generated as a result of
ad hoc report requests, they will be
carefully handled and shredded as soon
as they are no longer needed. If these
reports are needed for more than 1 day,
they will be kept locked in a locked
filing cabinet or in other storage rooms
at IMPAQ or at off-site storage vendors
which are heavily secured. Besides
physical security of data, IMPAQ has in
place procedures for handling datasets
with personal identifiers that are similar
to FedEx tracking system in that
personal signatures by members of the
IT department or the research team on
the project are required at all stages of
data handling until the personal
identifiers are stripped and replaced
with unique identifiers that are of no
use to a potential identity thief. All
IMPAQ staff are trained in security
procedures and policies. Multiple layers
of security are built into the IMPAQ
computing infrastructure to maximize
security.
Data Quality: Client participating in
the study will be asked to complete a
baseline questionnaire at the time they
are enrolled in the study. Each
counseling agency participating will be
asked to complete service tracking
surveys, for each client each time that
client is assisted, and counseling
information surveys. The baseline
questionnaire and surveys include
Name, address, household
demographics (age, gender, race,
ethnicity, income, assets, marital status,
education, current work status, number
of dependents, living situation and
costs); financial information (gross
monthly income, amount in savings,
amount in retirement accounts, monthly
rent paid, monthly utilities paid,
mortgage payment status); Social
Security Number (SSN),
homeownership status, program status
information, counseling agency ID,
employment history of counselor, Born
in U.S., English as primary language,
homeownership status, foreclosure
status; name, address, and telephone
numbers of two relatives or friends for
future follow-up. This data collection
serves two goals (1) it will provide more
detailed information on the
characteristics of key groups of housing
counseling clients, the specific services
they receive from counseling agencies,
and the short-term outcomes realized
from their counseling (2) it will lay the
groundwork for a follow-up survey of
these same clients to look at longer-term
outcomes (3) it will also help lay the
groundwork for an impact evaluations
or pre-purchase housing counseling by
providing experience with enrolling
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Sfmt 4703
counseling clients in a study, collecting
information on the counseling
assistance they receive, and tracking
them over time.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a 88 Stat. 1896; 342
U.S.C. 3535(d).
Lisa Schlosser,
Chief Information Officer.
HUD/PDR–10
SYSTEM NAME:
Housing Counseling Research Data
Files.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Housing Counseling Research Data
Files servers are in Cambridge
Massachusetts. System is maintained
and operated by Abt Associates, IMPAQ
International and software is loaded on
their desktop computer at the Columbia
Maryland location. The client system
database software will be installed on
secure servers at IMPAQ International
in Columbia, MD. Project staff at IMPAQ
will access the servers via the IMPAQ
computer network infrastructure, again
with authorization (username and
password) required.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE
SYSTEM:
Individuals selected in a random
sample of clients participating in
housing counseling.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Name, address, household
demographics (age, gender, race,
ethnicity, income, assets, marital status,
education, current work status, number
of dependents, living situation and
costs); financial information (gross
monthly income, amount in savings,
amount in retirement accounts, monthly
rent paid, monthly utilities paid,
mortgage payment status); Social
Security Number, homeownership
status, program status information,
counseling agency ID, employment
history of counselor, Born in U.S.,
English as primary language,
homeownership status, foreclosure
status; name, address, and telephone
numbers of two relatives or friends for
future follow-up.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Sec. 501, 502, Housing and Urban
Development Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91–
609), 12 U.S.C. 1701z-1, 1701z-2.
PURPOSE:
To conduct an outcome evaluation
study on the outcomes realized by
clients of HUD-funded Housing
Counseling Agencies seeking assistance
to either purchase a home (pre-purchase
clients) or to resolve or prevent a
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 23, 2008 / Notices
mortgage delinquency (foreclosure
mitigation clients). The study is
designed to gather statistically accurate
information on outcomes realized by the
clients of the participating housing
counseling agencies. The study focuses
on two groups of clients: (1) Clients
seeking assistance to purchase a home
(pre-purchase clients) and (2) clients
seeking to resolve or prevent a mortgage
delinquency (foreclosure mitigation
clients). Up to Thirty housing
counseling agencies at random will be
recruited to participate in this study.
The selected agencies will provide
samples of data from each of the two
groups, selected. The data collected
through the study will support analysis
of not just the frequency of different
client outcomes, but also the association
between these outcomes and client
characteristics, client circumstances,
and the extent of services received.
Additionally, the proposed study will
fulfill two important needs for HUD and
the counseling field. First, it will
provide systematic information on the
outcomes realized by counseling clients
and how these outcomes vary with the
characteristics or clients and the
services they receive. The study will
also lay the groundwork for a
subsequent pre-purchase impact
evaluation by testing data collection
procedures to be used to enroll clients,
gather information on the characteristics
of the services they receive, and track
them over time.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE
SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND
THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES: IN ADDITION TO
THOSE DISCLOSURES GENERALLY PERMITTED
UNDER 5 U.S.C. A.
A. 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 Housing
Counseling Programs.
B. To future researchers selected by
HUD to carry out the objectives of
HUD’s Housing Counseling Program in
aggregate form without individual
identifiers—name, address, social
security number—for the performance
of research and statistical activities of
the Housing Counseling Programs.
C. To authorized social science
researchers participating in HUD’s
Housing Counseling Program in
aggregate form without individual
identifiers—name, address, social
security number—for the performance
of research and statistical activities of
the Housing Counseling Programs.
D. To participating counseling
agencies for only part of the database to
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16:54 Sep 22, 2008
Jkt 214001
gather data identifying information that
they gather from their own clients
participating in the study and not the
part of the database that contains social
security numbers, birth dates, or data on
the housing counseling clients of other
agencies.
E. To credit bureaus to draw credit
reports on the individuals selected to
participate in the Housing Counseling
Outcome Evaluation.
F. To HUD’s Housing Counseling
System, including the Client Activity
Reporting System (CARS) to match
sample clients’ baseline, service
tracking, and outcome data gathered
during the course of this research to
data reported on those clients in CARS.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING,
RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND
DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
In file folders and electronic files
stored on contractors’ secured servers
and computers.
RETRIEVABILITY:
SAFEGUARDS:
Manual files will be kept in sealed
envelopes, in locked cabinets, in locked
offices; computer records will be
maintained in a separate secured area
accessible only to authorized personnel
with passwords. The consent forms will
be scanned into electronic files that will
be encrypted and then provided to Abt
Associates via a secure, password
protected HTTPS site. When the consent
forms are used to obtain credit reports
for the study, a copy of the consent form
will be provided using the same secure
HTTPS site and encrypted files to the
agency that obtains the credit reports.
The baseline questionnaires will be
entered into an electronic database that
will be encrypted at the database level
and accessible only to authorized
personnel with passwords. Both the
consent forms and baseline
questionnaires will then be stored at a
secure off-site facility for the duration of
the project.
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
All personal identifiers will be
destroyed approximately six months
after the research is completed.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
Mark Shroder, Acting Director of the
Program Evaluation Division, Office of
Policy Development and Research,
Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20410, Telephone
Number (202) 402–5922.
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
For information, assistance, or inquiry
about existence or records, contact
Donna Robinson-Staton, Departmental
Privacy Act Officer, Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 451
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, in
accordance with the procedures in 24
CFR part 16.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Procedures for the amendment or
correction of records, and for applicants
who want to appeal initial agency
determination appear in 24 CFR part 16.
If additional information is needed,
contact:
(i) In relation to contesting contents of
records, the Departmental Privacy Act
Officer at HUD, 451 Seventh Street,
SW., Room 2256, Washington, DC
20410; and
(ii) In relation to appeals of initial
denials, HUD, Departmental Privacy
Appeals Officer, Office of General
Counsel, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20410.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Name, address.
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54849
Sfmt 4703
The original records are transferred
from information obtained from baseline
questionnaires for participating clients
and service tracking surveys on
counseling services received by those
clients from the record subjects,
participating counseling agencies, and
credit bureaus.
EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE
ACT:
None.
[FR Doc. E8–22144 Filed 9–22–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO–350–1430–EU–24 1A]
Extension of Approved Information
Collection, OMB Approval Number
1004–0153
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is
requesting the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing
approval to collect information from
persons who seek to acquire the
Federally-owned (reserved) mineral
interests underlying their surface estate.
BLM collects this information to verify
E:\FR\FM\23SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54847-54849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22144]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5130-N-30]
Privacy Act; Notification of New Privacy Act System of Records,
Housing Counseling Research Data Files
AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Establishment of a new Privacy Act system of records.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD proposes
to establish a new record system to add to its inventory of systems of
records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.
The proposed new system of record is the Housing Counseling Research
Data Files. The records system will be used by HUD's Office of Policy
Development and Research (PD&R) to conduct research and evaluation
study of certain participants of HUD-funded Housing Counseling
Agencies. Refer to the ``Objective'' caption to obtain detailed
information about the purpose of this study.
DATES: Effective Date: This action shall be effective without further
notice on October 23, 2008 unless comments are received that would
result in a contrary determination.
Comments Due Date: October 23, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding
this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, Room
10276, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20410. Communications should refer to the above
docket number and title. 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: Donna Robinson-Staton, Departmental
Privacy Act Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451
Seventh Street, SW., Room 4178, Washington, DC 20410, telephone number
(202) 402-8073. (This is not a toll-free number.) A telecommunication
device for hearing- and speech-impaired individuals (TTY) is available
at 1-800-877-8339 (Federal Information Relay Service).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5
U.S.C. 552a), as amended notice is given that HUD proposes to establish
a new system of records as identified as Housing Counseling Data Files.
Title 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) and (11) provides that the public be
afforded a 30-day period in which to comment on the new system of
records, and requires published notice of the existence and character
of the system of records.
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 1 to OMB Circular No. A-130, ``Federal Agency Responsibilities
for Maintaining
[[Page 54848]]
Records About Individuals,'' July 25, 1994; 59 FR 37914.
System Security Measures: The availability and data in Housing
Counseling Data Files are important. Much of the data needs to be
protected from unanticipated or unintentional modification. HUD
restricts the use of the information to HUD's Abt Associates Inc.
contractors' oversight responsibility, vulnerabilities and
corresponding security measures to ensure data protection as follows:
Each employee at IMPAQ has a unique identifier. There is no general
company ID that can be used by multiple employees to log in to the
system. It is a violation of IMPAQ security policy to share usernames
and logins with anyone else. When an employee leaves IMPAQ, part of the
exit checklist is to disable the employee's account, so that the
employees can no longer log in and remote access privileges are also
disabled. Access rights will be selectively granted, depending on
duties and need-to-know. Full access rights to all data in the system
will be granted to fewer than 5 users, primarily project managers at
IMPAQ and Abt Associates. Limited access rights will be granted to all
counselors. Counselors will only have the ability to review records
pertaining to clients of their agency. No disks or tapes are involved
in the system. The consent forms validating the applicant's
participation in the study will be scanned into electronic files that
will be encrypted and then provided to Abt Associates via a secure,
password protected HTTPS site. The baseline questionnaires will be
entered into a secure electronic database that is encrypted at the
database level. Both the consent forms and baseline questionnaires will
then be stored at a secure off-site facility for the duration of the
project. All other data will be entered into the database by counselors
via a secure Web site so that all data transmitted over the Internet
are encrypted. Counselors will only able to access data under their
jurisdiction; downloading of data is not permitted from the actual
system. Counselors would access the system through the Internet via
Internet Explorer Web browser. The system requires a username and
password to gain access, and only authorized counselors or staff at
each agency would be provided with a username and password. Backup is
performed through an online vendor who backs up data on a frequent,
regular basis in a manner such that the data are encrypted while in
transmission over the Internet. No hard-copy printouts containing
personal information are anticipated to be generated on a regular
basis. If any are generated as a result of ad hoc report requests, they
will be carefully handled and shredded as soon as they are no longer
needed. If these reports are needed for more than 1 day, they will be
kept locked in a locked filing cabinet or in other storage rooms at
IMPAQ or at off-site storage vendors which are heavily secured. Besides
physical security of data, IMPAQ has in place procedures for handling
datasets with personal identifiers that are similar to FedEx tracking
system in that personal signatures by members of the IT department or
the research team on the project are required at all stages of data
handling until the personal identifiers are stripped and replaced with
unique identifiers that are of no use to a potential identity thief.
All IMPAQ staff are trained in security procedures and policies.
Multiple layers of security are built into the IMPAQ computing
infrastructure to maximize security.
Data Quality: Client participating in the study will be asked to
complete a baseline questionnaire at the time they are enrolled in the
study. Each counseling agency participating will be asked to complete
service tracking surveys, for each client each time that client is
assisted, and counseling information surveys. The baseline
questionnaire and surveys include Name, address, household demographics
(age, gender, race, ethnicity, income, assets, marital status,
education, current work status, number of dependents, living situation
and costs); financial information (gross monthly income, amount in
savings, amount in retirement accounts, monthly rent paid, monthly
utilities paid, mortgage payment status); Social Security Number (SSN),
homeownership status, program status information, counseling agency ID,
employment history of counselor, Born in U.S., English as primary
language, homeownership status, foreclosure status; name, address, and
telephone numbers of two relatives or friends for future follow-up.
This data collection serves two goals (1) it will provide more detailed
information on the characteristics of key groups of housing counseling
clients, the specific services they receive from counseling agencies,
and the short-term outcomes realized from their counseling (2) it will
lay the groundwork for a follow-up survey of these same clients to look
at longer-term outcomes (3) it will also help lay the groundwork for an
impact evaluations or pre-purchase housing counseling by providing
experience with enrolling counseling clients in a study, collecting
information on the counseling assistance they receive, and tracking
them over time.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a 88 Stat. 1896; 342 U.S.C. 3535(d).
Lisa Schlosser,
Chief Information Officer.
HUD/PDR-10
SYSTEM NAME:
Housing Counseling Research Data Files.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Housing Counseling Research Data Files servers are in Cambridge
Massachusetts. System is maintained and operated by Abt Associates,
IMPAQ International and software is loaded on their desktop computer at
the Columbia Maryland location. The client system database software
will be installed on secure servers at IMPAQ International in Columbia,
MD. Project staff at IMPAQ will access the servers via the IMPAQ
computer network infrastructure, again with authorization (username and
password) required.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
Individuals selected in a random sample of clients participating in
housing counseling.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
Name, address, household demographics (age, gender, race,
ethnicity, income, assets, marital status, education, current work
status, number of dependents, living situation and costs); financial
information (gross monthly income, amount in savings, amount in
retirement accounts, monthly rent paid, monthly utilities paid,
mortgage payment status); Social Security Number, homeownership status,
program status information, counseling agency ID, employment history of
counselor, Born in U.S., English as primary language, homeownership
status, foreclosure status; name, address, and telephone numbers of two
relatives or friends for future follow-up.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
Sec. 501, 502, Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (Pub. L.
91-609), 12 U.S.C. 1701z-1, 1701z-2.
PURPOSE:
To conduct an outcome evaluation study on the outcomes realized by
clients of HUD-funded Housing Counseling Agencies seeking assistance to
either purchase a home (pre-purchase clients) or to resolve or prevent
a
[[Page 54849]]
mortgage delinquency (foreclosure mitigation clients). The study is
designed to gather statistically accurate information on outcomes
realized by the clients of the participating housing counseling
agencies. The study focuses on two groups of clients: (1) Clients
seeking assistance to purchase a home (pre-purchase clients) and (2)
clients seeking to resolve or prevent a mortgage delinquency
(foreclosure mitigation clients). Up to Thirty housing counseling
agencies at random will be recruited to participate in this study. The
selected agencies will provide samples of data from each of the two
groups, selected. The data collected through the study will support
analysis of not just the frequency of different client outcomes, but
also the association between these outcomes and client characteristics,
client circumstances, and the extent of services received.
Additionally, the proposed study will fulfill two important needs for
HUD and the counseling field. First, it will provide systematic
information on the outcomes realized by counseling clients and how
these outcomes vary with the characteristics or clients and the
services they receive. The study will also lay the groundwork for a
subsequent pre-purchase impact evaluation by testing data collection
procedures to be used to enroll clients, gather information on the
characteristics of the services they receive, and track them over time.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES: In addition to those
disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. A.
A. 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 Housing Counseling Programs.
B. To future researchers selected by HUD to carry out the
objectives of HUD's Housing Counseling Program in aggregate form
without individual identifiers--name, address, social security number--
for the performance of research and statistical activities of the
Housing Counseling Programs.
C. To authorized social science researchers participating in HUD's
Housing Counseling Program in aggregate form without individual
identifiers--name, address, social security number--for the performance
of research and statistical activities of the Housing Counseling
Programs.
D. To participating counseling agencies for only part of the
database to gather data identifying information that they gather from
their own clients participating in the study and not the part of the
database that contains social security numbers, birth dates, or data on
the housing counseling clients of other agencies.
E. To credit bureaus to draw credit reports on the individuals
selected to participate in the Housing Counseling Outcome Evaluation.
F. To HUD's Housing Counseling System, including the Client
Activity Reporting System (CARS) to match sample clients' baseline,
service tracking, and outcome data gathered during the course of this
research to data reported on those clients in CARS.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING,
AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
In file folders and electronic files stored on contractors' secured
servers and computers.
RETRIEVABILITY:
Name, address.
SAFEGUARDS:
Manual files will be kept in sealed envelopes, in locked cabinets,
in locked offices; computer records will be maintained in a separate
secured area accessible only to authorized personnel with passwords.
The consent forms will be scanned into electronic files that will be
encrypted and then provided to Abt Associates via a secure, password
protected HTTPS site. When the consent forms are used to obtain credit
reports for the study, a copy of the consent form will be provided
using the same secure HTTPS site and encrypted files to the agency that
obtains the credit reports. The baseline questionnaires will be entered
into an electronic database that will be encrypted at the database
level and accessible only to authorized personnel with passwords. Both
the consent forms and baseline questionnaires will then be stored at a
secure off-site facility for the duration of the project.
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
All personal identifiers will be destroyed approximately six months
after the research is completed.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
Mark Shroder, Acting Director of the Program Evaluation Division,
Office of Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410,
Telephone Number (202) 402-5922.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
For information, assistance, or inquiry about existence or records,
contact Donna Robinson-Staton, Departmental Privacy Act Officer,
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC, in accordance with the procedures in 24 CFR part 16.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Procedures for the amendment or correction of records, and for
applicants who want to appeal initial agency determination appear in 24
CFR part 16. If additional information is needed, contact:
(i) In relation to contesting contents of records, the Departmental
Privacy Act Officer at HUD, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 2256,
Washington, DC 20410; and
(ii) In relation to appeals of initial denials, HUD, Departmental
Privacy Appeals Officer, Office of General Counsel, 451 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20410.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
The original records are transferred from information obtained from
baseline questionnaires for participating clients and service tracking
surveys on counseling services received by those clients from the
record subjects, participating counseling agencies, and credit bureaus.
EXEMPTIONS FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ACT:
None.
[FR Doc. E8-22144 Filed 9-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P
