Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 27951 [2013-11244]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 92 (Monday, May 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 27951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11244]



[[Page 27951]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: 2014 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0757.
    Form Number(s): H-100, H-108, H-100(L), H-100L(A).
    Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of an expired 
collection.
    Burden Hours: 9,391.
    Number of Respondents: 18,800.
    Average Hours Per Response: 28 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau requests approval to conduct 
the 2014 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS). The Census 
Bureau will conduct this survey for the New York City Department of 
Housing Preservation and Development (NYCHPD). Pursuant to the Local 
Emergency Housing Rent Control Act of 1962 (as amended) as well as 
Sections 26-414 and 26-415 of the Administrative Code of the City of 
New York, a survey is required in order to determine the supply, 
condition, and vacancy rate of housing in the city. The NYCHPD must 
take this survey every three years. The Census Bureau has conducted 
this survey for the city since 1962, most recently in 2011.
    Census Bureau field representatives will conduct personal visit 
interviews for a sample of housing units in the City, the vast majority 
of which are rental units in multi-unit rental structures (apartment 
buildings). Single-family rental or owner-occupied units (houses), 
however, are not excluded from the sample. We will interview residents 
(occupied units) or other knowledgeable people such as a building 
manager, superintendent, or rental or real estate agent (vacant units) 
to gather information on vacancy rates, housing costs, and the income 
of residents. About ten percent of the sample will be reinterviewed for 
quality control purposes.
    At the request of the sponsor, NYCHPD, we made the following 
changes to the survey instrument, Form H-100: (a) Reduced the number of 
possible rent subsidy options for renter-occupied units, (b) added 
three new housing condition questions, (c) reduced the number of 
health-related items, and, (d) eliminated the maintenance questions for 
owner-occupied units. As a result, we have checked that the average 
interview time will remain about the same as these changes overall will 
result in a negligible difference.
    The 2014 NYCHVS will be an up-to-date and comprehensive data source 
required by rent regulation laws as well as a source of data needed to 
evaluate the city's housing policies. Specifically, the city will look 
to the 2014 survey to provide accurate and reliable estimates of the 
rental and homeowner vacancy rates, to measure improvements in housing 
and neighborhood conditions, and to provide data on low-income, 
doubled-up, and crowded households at risk of becoming homeless. The 
city will use the results to develop programs and policies that aim to 
improve housing conditions for their citizens.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, businesses or other 
for-profit.
    Frequency: Every three years.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., Section 8b.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0336, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
jjessup@doc.gov).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) 
or email (bharrisk@omb.eop.gov).

    Dated: May 8, 2013.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-11244 Filed 5-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P