Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of Residential Building or Zoning Permit Systems, 60369 [2017-27377]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• U.s. Census Bureau

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 60369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27377]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 20, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 60369]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

U.S. Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of 
Residential Building or Zoning Permit Systems

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.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before February 20, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Erica M. Filipek, U.S. Census Bureau, MCD, CENHQ 
Room 7K057, 4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, DC 20233, telephone 
(301) 763-5161 (or via the internet at [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request a three-year extension of a 
currently approved collection of the Form C-411, Survey of Residential 
Building or Zoning Permit Systems. The Census Bureau produces 
statistics used to monitor activity in the large and dynamic 
construction industry. These statistics help state and local 
governments and the Federal government, as well as private industry, to 
analyze this important sector of the economy.
    The Census Bureau uses the Form C-411 to obtain information needed 
to update the universe of permit-issuing places from state and local 
building and zoning officials. Questions on the form pertain to the 
legal requirements for issuing building or zoning permits in the local 
jurisdictions. Information is obtained on such items as geographic 
coverage and types of construction for which permits are issued.
    The universe of permit-issuing places is the sampling frame for the 
Building Permits Survey (BPS) and the Survey of Construction (SOC). 
These two sample surveys provide widely used measures of construction 
activity, including the monthly Principal Federal Economic Indicators 
Housing Units Authorized by Building Permits and Housing Starts.

II. Method of Collection

    One of three variants of the Form C-411 is sent to a jurisdiction 
when the Census Bureau has reason to believe that a new permit system 
has been established or an existing one has changed, based on 
information the Census Bureau obtains from a variety of sources 
including survey respondents and regional planning councils. Staff in 
the Census Bureau's Geography Division also monitor changes in 
corporate status, which indicates if a place is incorporated. Responses 
rates for the Form C-411 typically approach 85 percent. There are three 
versions of the form:
     C-411(V) for verification of coverage for jurisdictions 
with existing permit systems
     C-411(M) for municipalities where a new permit system may 
have been established
     C-411(C) for counties where new permit systems may have 
been established.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0350.
    Form Number: C-411(V), C-411(M), and C-411(C).
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: State and Local Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000 per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 500 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. (Per OMB requirements, 
this cost does not measure respondents' time, but the indirect costs 
respondents may incur for such things as purchases of specialized 
software or hardware needed to report, or expenditures for accounting 
or records maintenance services required specifically by the 
collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131 and 
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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-27377 Filed 12-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P