30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide, 35538-35539 [2017-16045]
Download as PDF
35538
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 145 / Monday, July 31, 2017 / Notices
Date: July 21, 2017.
Inez C. Downs,
Department Reports Management Officer,
Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017–16047 Filed 7–28–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–5997–N–40]
30-Day Notice of Proposed Information
Collection: Section 8 Renewal Policy
Guide
Office of the Chief Information
Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
HUD submitted the proposed
information collection requirement
described below to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act. The purpose
of this notice is to allow for 30 days of
public comment.
DATES: Comments Due Date: August 30,
2017.
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:
HUD Desk Officer, Office of
Management and Budget, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503; fax: 202–395–5806, Email:
OIRA Submission@omb.eop.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inez
C. Downs, Reports Management Officer,
QMAC, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20410; email
Inez.C.Downs@hud.gov, or telephone
202–402–8046. This is not a toll-free
number. Person 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. Downs.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice informs the public that HUD is
seeking approval from OMB for the
information collection described in
Section A.
The Federal Register notice that
solicited public comment on the
information collection for a period of 60
days was published on May 11, 2017 at
82 FR 22015.
sradovich on DSKBCFCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
A. Overview of Information Collection
Title of Information Collection:
Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:38 Jul 28, 2017
Jkt 241001
OMB Approval Number: 2502–0587.
Type of Request: Extension of
currently approved collection.
Form Number: HUD–9624, HUD–
9625, HUD–9626, HUD–9627, HUD–
9629, HUD–9630, HUD–9631, HUD–
9632, HUD–9634, HUD–9635, HUD–
9636, HUD–9637, HUD–9639, HUD–
9640, HUD–9641, HUD–9642, HUD–
9643, HUD–9644, HUD–9646, HUD–
9648A, HUD–9648D, HUD–9649, HUD–
9651, HUD–93181, HUD–93182, and
HUD–93184.
Description of the need for the
information and proposed use: The
modifications of the Section 8 renewal
policy and recent legislation are
implemented to address the essential
requirement to preserving low income
rental housing affordability and
availability. The Section 8 Renewal
Policy Guide will include recent
legislation modifications for renewing of
expiring Section 8 policy(ies)
Guidebook, as authorized by the 24 CFR
part 401 and 24 CFR part 402. The
Multifamily Housing Reform and
Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRA) for
Fiscal Year 1998 (Pub. L. 105–65,
enacted on October 27, 1997), required
that expiring Section 8 project-based
assistance contracts be renewed under
MAHRA. Established in the MAHRA
policies renewal of Section 8 projectbased contracts rent is based on market
rents instead of the Fair Market Rent
(FMR) standard.
MAHRA renewals submission should
include a Rent Comparability Study
(RCS). If the RCS indicated rents were
at or below comparable market rents,
the contract was renewed at current
rents adjusted by Operating Cost
Adjustment Factor (OCAF), unless the
Owner submitted documentation
justifying a budget-based rent increase
or participation in Mark-Up-To-Market.
The case is that no renewal rents could
exceed comparable market rents. If the
RCS indicated rents were above
comparable market rents, the contract
was referred to the Office of Affordable
Housing Preservation (OAHP) for debt
restructuring and/or rent reduction. The
Preserving Affordable Housing for
Senior Citizens and Families in to the
21st Century Act of 1999 (public law
106–74, enacted on October 20, 1999),
modified MAHRA.
The Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide
sets forth six renewal options from
which a project owner may choose
when renewing their expiring Section 8
contract: Option One—Mark-Up-ToMarket, Option Two—Other Contract
Renewal with Current Rents at or Below
Comparable Market Rents, Option
Three—Referral to the Office of
Affordable Preservation (OAHP), Option
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Four—Renewal of Projects Exempted
From OMHAR, Option Five—Renewal
of Portfolio Reengineering
Demonstration or Preservation Projects,
and Option Six—Opt Outs. Owners
should select one of six options which
are applicable to their project and
should submit contract renewal on an
annual basis to renew contract.
The Section 8 Renewal Guide sets
forth six renewal options from which a
project owner may choose when
renewing their expiring Section 8
contracts. Option One (Mark-Up-ToMarket), Option Two (Other Contract
Renewals with Current Rents at or
Below Comparable Market Rents),
Option Three (Referral to the Office of
Multifamily Housing Assistant
Restructuring—OHAP), Option Four
(Renewal of Projects Exempted from
OHAP), Option Five (Renewal of
Portfolio Reengineering Demonstration
or Preservation Projects), and Option
Six (Opt-Outs).
Respondents: (i.e. affected public)
Business or other for profit and
nonprofit.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
25,439.
Estimated Number of Responses:
25,439.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
Total Estimated Burden: 24,680.
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 comment in response to these
questions.
Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
E:\FR\FM\31JYN1.SGM
31JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 145 / Monday, July 31, 2017 / Notices
Date: July 11, 2017.
Inez C. Downs,
Department Reports Management Officer,
Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017–16045 Filed 7–28–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R2–ES–2017–N075;
FXES11140200000–178–FF02ENEH00]
Intent To Prepare a Draft National
Environmental Policy Act Analysis and
Associated Documents for LCRA
Transmission Services Corporation’s
Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan,
TX
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent; announcement
of public scoping meetings; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, advise the public that
we intend to evaluate the impacts of,
and alternatives to, the proposed
issuance of an incidental take permit
(ITP) under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended, to LCRA
Transmission Services Corporation
(LCRA TSC; applicant) for incidental
take of approximately 35 federally listed
species for construction, operation,
upgrade, decommissioning, and
maintenance of the applicant’s facilities
within the proposed plan area
(approximately 241 counties). LCRA
TSC proposes to draft a Habitat
Conservation Plan in support of the ITP.
We also announce plans for public
scoping meetings and the opening of a
public comment period under the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA).
DATES: Written comments on
alternatives and issues to be addressed
must be received by close of business on
or before August 30, 2017. Four public
scoping meetings will be held
throughout the proposed plan area.
Exact meeting locations and times will
be announced in local newspapers and
on the Service’s Austin Ecological
Services Office Web site, https://
www.fws.gov/southwest/es/
AustinTexas/, at least 2 weeks prior to
each meeting.
ADDRESSES: To request further
information or submit written
comments, use one of the following
methods, and note that your information
request or comment is in reference to
the LCRA TSC NEPA analysis:
sradovich on DSKBCFCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:38 Jul 28, 2017
Jkt 241001
• Email: FW2_AUES_Consult@
fws.gov;
• U.S. Mail: Field Supervisor, Austin
Ecological Services Field Office, 10711
Burnet Road, Ste. 200, Austin, Texas
78758;
• Fax: (512) 490–0974; or
• Telephone: (512) 490–0057.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
advise the public that we intend to
evaluate the impacts of, and alternatives
to, the proposed issuance of an
incidental take permit (ITP) under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C 1531 et seq.; ESA),
to LCRA Transmission Services
Corporation (LCRA TSC; applicant) for
incidental take of approximately 35
federally listed species during
construction, operation, upgrade,
decommissioning, and maintenance of
the applicant’s facilities within the
proposed plan area (approximately 241
Texas counties). LCRA TSC proposes to
draft a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
in support of the ITP. We also announce
plans for public scoping meetings and
the opening of a public comment
period.
We publish this notice in compliance
with the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C.
4321, et seq.; NEPA), and its
implementing regulations (40 CFR
1501.7, 1506.6, and 1508.22), and
section 10(c) of the ESA. We will use
and coordinate the NEPA process to
fulfill our obligations under the
National Historic Preservation Act
(Pub. L. 89–665, as amended by Pub. L.
96–515, and as provided in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3) and 800.8(c)). We intend to
gather the information necessary to
determine impacts and alternatives to
support a decision regarding the
potential issuance of an ITP to LCRA
TSC under the ESA.
The applicant proposes to develop an
HCP as part of their application for an
ITP. The proposed HCP will describe,
among other things, the measures
necessary to minimize and mitigate the
impacts, to the maximum extent
practicable, of potential proposed taking
of federally listed species and the
habitats upon which they depend,
resulting from operations, maintenance,
upgrade, decommissioning, and
construction of LCRA TSC facilities. At
this time, we intend to evaluate the
impacts of, and alternatives to, the
proposed issuance of an ITP under the
Act to LCRA TSC.
National Environmental Policy Act
Process
Upon completion of the public
scoping process and completion of our
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
35539
review of the applicant’s proposed HCP,
we will determine whether an
environmental assessment (EA) or
Environmental Impact Statement is the
appropriate NEPA analysis to support
potential issuance of the ITP.
Background
Section 9 of the ESA and its
implementing regulations prohibit
‘‘take’’ of fish and wildlife species listed
as endangered or threatened under the
ESA. The ESA defines ‘‘take’’ as ‘‘to
harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot,
wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect
listed animal species, or attempt to
engage in such conduct’’ (16 U.S.C.
1533). The term ‘‘harm’’ is defined in
the regulations as significant habitat
modification or degradation that results
in death or injury to listed species by
significantly impairing essential
behavioral patterns, including breeding,
feeding, or sheltering (50 CFR 17.3).
However, the Service may, under
specified circumstances, issue permits
that allow the take of federally listed
species, provided that the take is
incidental to, but not the purpose of,
otherwise lawful activity. Regulations
governing ITPs for endangered and
threatened species are at 50 CFR 17.22
and 17.32, respectively.
Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the ESA
contains provisions for issuing such
ITPs to non-Federal entities for the take
of endangered and threatened species,
provided the following criteria are met:
(1) The taking will be incidental; (2) the
applicant will, to the maximum extent
practicable, minimize and mitigate the
impact of such taking; (3) the applicant
will develop a conservation plan and
ensure that adequate funding for the
plan will be provided; (4) the taking will
not appreciably reduce the likelihood of
the survival and recovery of the species
in the wild; and (5) the applicant will
carry out any other measures that we
may require as being necessary or
appropriate for the purposes of the HCP
(16 U.S.C. 1539(a)(1)(B) and
1539(a)(2)(A)).
Thus, the purpose of issuing an ITP is
to authorize take associated with the
proposed activities while conserving
covered species and their habitats.
Implementation of a comprehensive
multispecies HCP, rather than a projectby-project approach, will maximize the
benefits of conservation measures for
the covered species and eliminate
expensive and time-consuming efforts
associated with processing individual
ITPs for each project the applicant
undertakes. We expect that the
applicant will request ITP coverage for
a period of 30 years.
E:\FR\FM\31JYN1.SGM
31JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 145 (Monday, July 31, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35538-35539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16045]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5997-N-40]
30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Section 8
Renewal Policy Guide
AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: HUD submitted the proposed information collection requirement
described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The purpose of
this notice is to allow for 30 days of public comment.
DATES: Comments Due Date: August 30, 2017.
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: HUD Desk Officer, Office of
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC
20503; fax: 202-395-5806, Email: OIRA Submission@omb.eop.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inez C. Downs, Reports Management
Officer, QMAC, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th
Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Inez.C.Downs@hud.gov, or
telephone 202-402-8046. This is not a toll-free number. Person 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. Downs.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is
seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in
Section A.
The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the
information collection for a period of 60 days was published on May 11,
2017 at 82 FR 22015.
A. Overview of Information Collection
Title of Information Collection: Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide.
OMB Approval Number: 2502-0587.
Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
Form Number: HUD-9624, HUD-9625, HUD-9626, HUD-9627, HUD-9629, HUD-
9630, HUD-9631, HUD-9632, HUD-9634, HUD-9635, HUD-9636, HUD-9637, HUD-
9639, HUD-9640, HUD-9641, HUD-9642, HUD-9643, HUD-9644, HUD-9646, HUD-
9648A, HUD-9648D, HUD-9649, HUD-9651, HUD-93181, HUD-93182, and HUD-
93184.
Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The
modifications of the Section 8 renewal policy and recent legislation
are implemented to address the essential requirement to preserving low
income rental housing affordability and availability. The Section 8
Renewal Policy Guide will include recent legislation modifications for
renewing of expiring Section 8 policy(ies) Guidebook, as authorized by
the 24 CFR part 401 and 24 CFR part 402. The Multifamily Housing Reform
and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRA) for Fiscal Year 1998 (Pub. L.
105-65, enacted on October 27, 1997), required that expiring Section 8
project-based assistance contracts be renewed under MAHRA. Established
in the MAHRA policies renewal of Section 8 project-based contracts rent
is based on market rents instead of the Fair Market Rent (FMR)
standard.
MAHRA renewals submission should include a Rent Comparability Study
(RCS). If the RCS indicated rents were at or below comparable market
rents, the contract was renewed at current rents adjusted by Operating
Cost Adjustment Factor (OCAF), unless the Owner submitted documentation
justifying a budget-based rent increase or participation in Mark-Up-To-
Market. The case is that no renewal rents could exceed comparable
market rents. If the RCS indicated rents were above comparable market
rents, the contract was referred to the Office of Affordable Housing
Preservation (OAHP) for debt restructuring and/or rent reduction. The
Preserving Affordable Housing for Senior Citizens and Families in to
the 21st Century Act of 1999 (public law 106-74, enacted on October 20,
1999), modified MAHRA.
The Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide sets forth six renewal options
from which a project owner may choose when renewing their expiring
Section 8 contract: Option One--Mark-Up-To-Market, Option Two--Other
Contract Renewal with Current Rents at or Below Comparable Market
Rents, Option Three--Referral to the Office of Affordable Preservation
(OAHP), Option Four--Renewal of Projects Exempted From OMHAR, Option
Five--Renewal of Portfolio Reengineering Demonstration or Preservation
Projects, and Option Six--Opt Outs. Owners should select one of six
options which are applicable to their project and should submit
contract renewal on an annual basis to renew contract.
The Section 8 Renewal Guide sets forth six renewal options from
which a project owner may choose when renewing their expiring Section 8
contracts. Option One (Mark-Up-To-Market), Option Two (Other Contract
Renewals with Current Rents at or Below Comparable Market Rents),
Option Three (Referral to the Office of Multifamily Housing Assistant
Restructuring--OHAP), Option Four (Renewal of Projects Exempted from
OHAP), Option Five (Renewal of Portfolio Reengineering Demonstration or
Preservation Projects), and Option Six (Opt-Outs).
Respondents: (i.e. affected public) Business or other for profit
and nonprofit.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 25,439.
Estimated Number of Responses: 25,439.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
Total Estimated Burden: 24,680.
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 comment in response to these
questions.
Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
[[Page 35539]]
Date: July 11, 2017.
Inez C. Downs,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-16045 Filed 7-28-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P