Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions, 28211-28212 [2011-11872]

Agencies

• Census Bureau
• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 94 (Monday, May 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28211-28212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11872]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
Housing Starts, Sales, and Completions

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before July 15, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Erica Filipek, U.S. Census Bureau, MCD, CENHQ 
Room 7K181, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone 
(301) 763-5161 (or via the Internet at Erica.Mary.Filipek@census.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Census Bureau plans to request a three-year extension of 
the current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the 
Survey of Housing Starts, Sales and Completions, also known as the 
Survey of Construction (SOC). The SOC collects monthly data on new 
residential construction from a sample of owners or builders. The 
Census Bureau uses the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) 
electronic questionnaires SOC-QI/SF.1 and SOC-QI/MF.1 to collect data 
on start and completion dates of construction, physical characteristics 
of the structure (floor area, number of bathrooms, type of heating 
system, etc.), and if applicable, date of sale, sales price, and type 
of financing. The SOC provides widely used measures of construction 
activity, including the economic

[[Page 28212]]

indicators Housing Starts and Housing Completions, which are from the 
New Residential Construction series, and New Residential Sales.
    The current clearance for this survey is scheduled to expire on 
November 30, 2011. No changes are planned to the questionnaire.
    We sample about 1,850 new buildings each month (22,200 per year). 
We inquire about the progress of each building multiple times until it 
is completed (and a sales contract is signed, if it is a single-family 
house that is built for sale). We conduct an average of 7.9 interviews 
for each building sampled. The total number of interviews conducted 
each year is about 175,380. Each interview takes 5 minutes on average. 
Therefore the total annual burden is 14,615 hours.

II. Method of Collection

    The Census Bureau uses its field representatives to collect the 
data. The field representatives conduct interviews to obtain data.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0110.
    Form Number: SOC-QI/SF.1 and SOC-QI/MF.1.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, business, or other for-
profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 22,200.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,615.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The estimated cost to the respondents 
is $433,773 based on an average hourly pay for the respondent of 
$29.68. This estimate was taken from the Department of Labor, Bureau of 
Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey for 2009.
    Respondents Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: May 10, 2011.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-11872 Filed 5-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P