60 Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Urban County Qualification/New York Towns Qualification/Requalification Processes, 11554-11556 [2018-05301]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 51 / Thursday, March 15, 2018 / Notices
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(2) Currently maintaining F–1 status,
and
(3) Experiencing severe economic
hardship as a direct result of the
ongoing civil unrest in Syria since
March 2011.
ICE records show that as of January
23, 2018, there are approximately 620
Syrian F–1 visa holders in active status
who would be covered by this notice.
This notice applies to elementary
school, middle school, high school,
undergraduate, and graduate students.
This notice, however, applies differently
to elementary school, middle school,
and high school students (see the
discussion published at 77 FR 20040,
available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
pkg/FR-2012-04-03/pdf/2012-7960.pdf,
in the question, ‘‘Does this notice apply
to elementary school, middle school,
and high school students in F–1
status?’’).
F–1 students covered by this notice
who transfer to other academic
institutions that are SEVP-certified for
enrollment of F–1 students remain
eligible for the relief provided by means
of this notice.
Why is DHS taking this action?
DHS took action to provide temporary
relief to F–1 nonimmigrant students
whose country of citizenship is Syria
and who experienced severe economic
hardship because of the civil unrest in
Syria since March 2011. See 77 FR
20038 (April 3, 2012). It enabled these
F–1 students to obtain employment
authorization, work an increased
number of hours while school was in
session, and reduce their course load,
while continuing to maintain their F–1
student status. In June 2013, January
2015, and again in September 2016,
DHS acknowledged that the the civil
unrest in Syria continued to affect
Syria’s citizens, with many people still
displaced as a result. DHS extended the
application of the original April 3, 2012,
notice through March 31, 2018, to
continue to provide temporary relief to
Syrian F–1 students who experienced
severe economic hardship as a result of
the conflict. Despite DHS’s
determination that the civil conflict in
Syria continued well beyond the
October 3, 2013, expiration date of the
original notice, temporary relief was not
made available to Syrian F–1 students
who became lawfully present in the
United States in F–1 nonimmigrant
status after April 3, 2012. On September
9, 2016, however, DHS published a
notice extending the application of the
temporary relief in the original April 3,
2012 notice to those Syrian F–1
nonimmigrant students who lawfully
obtained F–1 nonimmigrant status
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between April 3, 2012, and September
9, 2016.
The conflict in Syria continues to
affect the physical and economic
security of its citizens. There are more
than 11.7 million displaced Syrians in
the region, both inside Syria and in
neighboring countries, plus nearly 1
million Syrians have applied for asylum
in Europe. The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees has reported
over 2.8 million civilians displaced in
2017 alone, many for the second or third
time. Since the beginning of the conflict,
as many as 500,000 Syrians are dead or
missing.
As a result of the civil war and
conflict, food and water insecurity
continues to have a major negative
impact on the population of Syria. As of
September 2017, the United Nations
World Food Program assessed that food
production in Syria was at an all-time
low and that the situation was showing
no sign of improving. Due to an 800
percent increase in the consumer food
price index between 2010 and 2016, 90
percent of Syrian households now
spend over half of their income on food,
compared with 25 percent before the
crisis. As of March 2017, 51 percent of
Syrians lacked regular access to the
public water system, relying instead on
unregulated systems not tested for water
purity. Schools and hospitals are
significantly impacted by the lack of
basic levels of sanitation, as well as the
destruction of many facilities.
Furthermore, the conflict continues to
negatively affect the Syrian economy. In
2017, the World Bank Group issued a
report detailing the economic and social
consequences of the conflict in Syria,
estimating $226 billion in lost GDP
since the conflict erupted, a figure equal
to about four times the Syrian GDP in
2010. World Bank Grp., The Toll of War:
The Economic and Social Consequences
of the Conflict in Syria 83 (2017),
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/
bitstream/handle/10986/27541/
The%20Toll%20of%20War.pdf.
Given the conditions in Syria, affected
students whose primary means of
financial support come from Syria may
need to be exempt from the normal
student employment requirements to be
able to continue their studies in the
United States and meet basic living
expenses.
The United States is committed to
continuing to assist the people of Syria.
DHS is therefore extending this
employment authorization for F–1
nonimmigrant students whose country
of citizenship is Syria, who lawfully
obtained F–1 nonimmigrant student
status by September 9, 2016, and who
are continuing to experience severe
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economic hardship as a result of the
civil unrest since March 2011.
How do I apply for employment
authorization under the circumstances
of this notice?
F–1 nonimmigrant students whose
country of citizenship is Syria who
lawfully obtained F–1 nonimmigrant
student status by September 9, 2016,
and are experiencing severe economic
hardship because of the civil unrest may
apply for employment authorization
under the guidelines described in 77 FR
20038. This notice extends the time
period during which such F–1 students
may seek employment due to the civil
unrest. It does not impose any new or
additional policies or procedures
beyond those listed in the original
notice. All interested F–1 students
should follow the instructions listed in
the original notice.
Elaine C. Duke,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–05206 Filed 3–14–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–28–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–7002–N–04]
60 Day Notice of Proposed Information
Collection: Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) Urban County
Qualification/New York Towns
Qualification/Requalification
Processes
Office of Community Planning
and Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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: May 14,
2018.
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:
Colette Pollard, Departmental
Paperwork Reduction Act Officer,
QDAM, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW,
Room 4160, Washington, DC 20410;
telephone: 202–708–3400 (this is not a
toll-free number) or email Ms. Pollard
for a copy of the proposed form and
other available information.
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 51 / Thursday, March 15, 2018 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gloria Coates, Senior Community
Planning and Development Specialist,
Entitlement Communities Division,
Office of Block Grant Assistance, 451
7th Street, SW, Room 7282, Washington,
DC 20410; telephone (202) 708–1577
(this is not a toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice informs the public that HUD is
seeking approval form OMB for the
information collection described in
Section A.
A. Overview of Information Collection
Title of Information Collection:
Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Urban County Qualification/
New York Towns Qualification/
Requalification Processes.
OMB Approval Number: 2506–0170.
Type of Request: Extension.
Form numbers: N/A.
Description of the need for the
information and proposed use: The
Housing and Community Development
Act of 1974, as amended, at sections
102(a)(6) and 102(e) requires that any
county seeking qualification as an urban
county notify each unit of general local
government within the county that such
unit may enter into a cooperation
agreement to participate in the CDBG
program as part of the county. Section
102(d) of the statute specifies that the
period of qualification will be three
years. Based on these statutory
provisions, counties seeking
qualification or requalification as urban
counties under the CDBG program must
provide information to HUD every three
years identifying the units of general
local governments (UGLGs) within the
county participating as a part of the
county for purposes of receiving CDBG
funds. The population of UGLGs for
each eligible urban county is used in
HUD’s allocation of CDBG funds for all
entitlement and State CDBG grantees.
New York towns undertook a similar
process every three years. However,
after consultation with program counsel,
it was determined that a requalification
process for New York towns is
unnecessary because the units of general
local government in New York towns do
not have the same statutory notice rights
(under Section 102(e) of the Housing
and Community Development Act of
1974) as units of general local
government participating in an urban
county. However, those New York
Towns may qualify as metropolitan
cities if they are able to secure the
participation of all of the villages
located within their boundaries. Any
New York Town that is located in an
urban county may choose to leave that
urban county when that county is
requalifying to become a metropolitan
city. That New York Town will be
required to notify the urban county in
advance of its decision to defer
participation in the urban county’s
CDBG program and complete the
metropolitan city qualification process.
Respondents: (i.e. affected public):
Urban counties that are eligible as
entitlement grantees of the CDBG
program.
Estimation Number of Respondents:
There are currently 186 qualified urban
counties participating in the CDBG
program that must requalify every three
years.
Frequency of Response: On average,
one new county qualifies each year. The
burden on new counties is greater than
for existing counties that requalify. The
Department estimates new grantees use,
on average, 105 hours to review
instructions, contact communities in the
county, prepare and review agreements,
obtain legal opinions, have agreements
executed at the local and county level,
and prepare and transmit copies of
required documents to HUD. The
Department estimates that counties that
are requalifying use, on average, 65
hours to complete these actions. The
time savings on requalification is
primarily a result of a grantee’s ability
to use agreements with no specified end
date. Use of such ‘‘renewable’’
agreements enables the grantee to
merely notify affected participating
UGLGs in writing that their agreement
will automatically be renewed unless
the UGLG terminates the agreement in
writing, rather than executing a new
agreement every three years.
Hours
Hours
Average of 1 new urban county qualifies per year .................................................................................................................
186 grantees requalify on triennial basis; average annual number of respondents = 62 ......................................................
1 × 110 =
62 × 65 =
110
4,030
Total combined burden hours ...........................................................................................................................................
...............
4,135
This total number of combined
burden hours can be expected to
increase annually by 220 hours, given
the average of two new urban counties
Number of
respondents
becoming eligible entitlement grantees
each year.
Number of
responses
per year
House per
response
annual
Total hours
Average no. of new urban counties that qualify per year ...............................
No. of grantees that requalify on a triennial basis ..........................................
........................
186
1
62
110
65
110
4,030
Total combined hours ...............................................................................
........................
........................
........................
4,135
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
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
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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
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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.
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11556
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 51 / Thursday, March 15, 2018 / Notices
Dated: February 28, 2018.
Lori Michalski,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2018–05301 Filed 3–14–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR–7002–N–05]
60-Day Notice of Proposed Information
Collection: Consolidated Plan, Annual
Action Plan & Annual Performance
Report
Office of Community Planning
and Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
HUD is seeking approval from
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for the information collection
described below. In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is
requesting comment from all interested
parties on the proposed collection of
information. The purpose of this notice
is to allow 60 days of public comment.
DATES: Comments due date: May 14,
2018.
SUMMARY:
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:
Colette Pollard, Reports Management
Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing
and Urban Development, 451 7th Street
SW, Room 4176, Washington, DC
ADDRESSES:
20410–5000; telephone 202–402–3400
(this is not a toll-free number) or email
at Colette.Pollard@hud.gov for a copy of
the proposed forms or other available
information. Persons with hearing or
speech impairments may access this
number through TTY by calling the tollfree Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–
8339.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth Hendrix, Office of Block Grant
Assistance, Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW,
Washington, DC 20410; email Elizabeth
Hendrix at Elizabeth.S.Hendrix@
hud.gov or telephone 202–402–7179.
Persons with hearing or speech
impairments may access this number
through TTY by calling the toll-free
Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339.
This is not a toll-free number. Copies of
available documents submitted to OMB
may be obtained from Ms. Pollard.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice informs the public that HUD is
seeking approval from OMB for the
information collection described in
Section A.
A. Overview of Information Collection
Title of Information Collection:
Consolidated Plan & Annual
Performance Report.
OMB Approval Number: 2506–0117.
Type of Request: Extension.
Form Number: N/A.
Description of the need for the
information and proposed use: The
Departments collection of this
information is in compliance with
statutory provisions of the Cranston
Number of
respondents
Information collection
Consolidated Plan & Performance Reports:
Localities ...........................................
States ................................................
Frequency of
response
1216 *
50 *
Burden hours
per response
1
1
293
741
Gonzalez National Affordable Housing
Act of 1990 that requires participating
jurisdictions to submit a Comprehensive
Housing Affordability Strategy (Section
105(b)); the 1974 Housing and
Community Development Act, as
amended, that requires states and
localities to submit a Community
Development Plan (Section 104(b)(4)
and Section 104(m)); and statutory
provisions of these Acts that requires
states and localities to submit
applications and reports for these
formula grant programs. The
information is needed to provide HUD
with preliminary assessment as to the
statutory and regulatory eligibility of
proposed grantee projects for informing
citizens of intended uses of program
funds.
Members of the Affected Public: States
and local governments participating in
the Community Development Block
Grant Program (CDBG), the Home
Investment Partnership Program
(HOME), the Emergency Solutions
Grants Program (ESG), the Housing
Opportunities for Persons with AIDS/
HIV Program (HOPWA) or the Housing
Trust Fund (HTF).
Estimated Number of Respondents:
1,216 localities and 50 states.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1.
Consolidated Plan & Performance
Reports: 2,432 localities, 100 states.*
Average Hours per Response: 293
(localities), 741 (states).
Total Estimated Burdens: 393,338.
* Includes combined Consolidated
Plan and Annual Action Plan and
separate performance report.
Total U.S.
burden hours
Hourly cost
per response
356,288
37,050
$34 **
34 **
Total annual
cost
$12,113,792
1,259,700
* Total number of respondents of 1,266 = sum of localities (1,216) and states (50). Total localities of 1,216 includes 1,209 entitlements + 3
non-entitlements (Hawaii, Kauai, Maui) and four Insular Areas (Guam, Mariana Islands, Samoa, Virgin Islands).
** Estimates assume a blended hourly rate that is equivalent to a GS–12, Step 5, Federal Government Employee.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
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;
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:34 Mar 14, 2018
Jkt 244001
(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.
Dated: March 1, 2018.
Lori Michalski,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2018–05302 Filed 3–14–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210–67–P
Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11554-11556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05301]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-7002-N-04]
60 Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) Urban County Qualification/New York
Towns Qualification/Requalification Processes
AGENCY: Office of Community Planning and Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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: May 14, 2018.
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: Colette Pollard, Departmental
Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban
Development, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 4160, Washington, DC 20410;
telephone: 202-708-3400 (this is not a toll-free number) or email Ms.
Pollard for a copy of the proposed form and other available
information.
[[Page 11555]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gloria Coates, Senior Community
Planning and Development Specialist, Entitlement Communities Division,
Office of Block Grant Assistance, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 7282,
Washington, DC 20410; telephone (202) 708-1577 (this is not a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is
seeking approval form OMB for the information collection described in
Section A.
A. Overview of Information Collection
Title of Information Collection: Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Urban County Qualification/New York Towns Qualification/
Requalification Processes.
OMB Approval Number: 2506-0170.
Type of Request: Extension.
Form numbers: N/A.
Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, at sections
102(a)(6) and 102(e) requires that any county seeking qualification as
an urban county notify each unit of general local government within the
county that such unit may enter into a cooperation agreement to
participate in the CDBG program as part of the county. Section 102(d)
of the statute specifies that the period of qualification will be three
years. Based on these statutory provisions, counties seeking
qualification or requalification as urban counties under the CDBG
program must provide information to HUD every three years identifying
the units of general local governments (UGLGs) within the county
participating as a part of the county for purposes of receiving CDBG
funds. The population of UGLGs for each eligible urban county is used
in HUD's allocation of CDBG funds for all entitlement and State CDBG
grantees.
New York towns undertook a similar process every three years.
However, after consultation with program counsel, it was determined
that a requalification process for New York towns is unnecessary
because the units of general local government in New York towns do not
have the same statutory notice rights (under Section 102(e) of the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974) as units of general
local government participating in an urban county. However, those New
York Towns may qualify as metropolitan cities if they are able to
secure the participation of all of the villages located within their
boundaries. Any New York Town that is located in an urban county may
choose to leave that urban county when that county is requalifying to
become a metropolitan city. That New York Town will be required to
notify the urban county in advance of its decision to defer
participation in the urban county's CDBG program and complete the
metropolitan city qualification process.
Respondents: (i.e. affected public): Urban counties that are
eligible as entitlement grantees of the CDBG program.
Estimation Number of Respondents: There are currently 186 qualified
urban counties participating in the CDBG program that must requalify
every three years.
Frequency of Response: On average, one new county qualifies each
year. The burden on new counties is greater than for existing counties
that requalify. The Department estimates new grantees use, on average,
105 hours to review instructions, contact communities in the county,
prepare and review agreements, obtain legal opinions, have agreements
executed at the local and county level, and prepare and transmit copies
of required documents to HUD. The Department estimates that counties
that are requalifying use, on average, 65 hours to complete these
actions. The time savings on requalification is primarily a result of a
grantee's ability to use agreements with no specified end date. Use of
such ``renewable'' agreements enables the grantee to merely notify
affected participating UGLGs in writing that their agreement will
automatically be renewed unless the UGLG terminates the agreement in
writing, rather than executing a new agreement every three years.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hours Hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average of 1 new urban county 1 x 110 =............ 110
qualifies per year.
186 grantees requalify on triennial 62 x 65 =............ 4,030
basis; average annual number of
respondents = 62.
---------------------------------
Total combined burden hours....... ..................... 4,135
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This total number of combined burden hours can be expected to
increase annually by 220 hours, given the average of two new urban
counties becoming eligible entitlement grantees each year.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of House per
Number of responses per response Total hours
respondents year annual
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average no. of new urban counties that qualify .............. 1 110 110
per year.......................................
No. of grantees that requalify on a triennial 186 62 65 4,030
basis..........................................
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total combined hours........................ .............. .............. .............. 4,135
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 11556]]
Dated: February 28, 2018.
Lori Michalski,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and
Development.
[FR Doc. 2018-05301 Filed 3-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P
