30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: FHA Catalyst: Multifamily Application Portal; OMB Control No.: 2502-0620, 57844 [2021-22745]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 57844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22745]



[[Page 57844]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-7034-N-55]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: FHA Catalyst: 
Multifamily Application Portal; OMB Control No.: 2502-0620

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: HUD has 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 an additional 30 days of public 
comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: November 18, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/StartPrinted Page 
15501PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management 
Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at 
[email protected] or telephone 202-402-3400. This is not a toll-
free number. Persons 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. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD has 
submitted to OMB a request for approval of 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 July 2, 2021, at 86 FR 35310.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: FHA Catalyst: Multifamily 
Application Portal.
    OMB Approval Number: 2502-0620.
    OMB Expiration Date: 5/31/2021.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of previously approved 
collection for which approval has expired.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)/Federal Housing 
Administration's (FHA) Office of Multifamily Housing Programs (MFH) has 
developed a web-based portal for FHA-approved multifamily lenders to 
submit applications for FHA multifamily mortgage insurance to HUD 
electronically. The FHA Catalyst: Multifamily Application Portal (``FHA 
Catalyst''), was released in fall 2020 to aid in the collection of 
information for FHA multifamily mortgage insurance program 
applications. The National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701 et. seq.) and 
implementing regulations at 24 CFR parts 200-266 authorize HUD/FHA to 
administer the multifamily mortgage insurance programs. The specific 
authority to require a mortgage insurance application is found at 24 
CFR 200.45(b): ``[a]n application for a firm commitment must be made by 
an approved mortgagee for any project for which a mortgagor seeks 
mortgage insurance under the Act.''
    FHA Catalyst allows FHA-approved multifamily lenders to submit 
electronic applications for FHA multifamily mortgage insurance and 
related documents to HUD through a web-based portal, and HUD staff are 
able to receive and download the documents from the portal. The system 
is designed to streamline existing processes for collecting information 
to administer FHA multifamily mortgage insurance programs; no new 
information will be collected as a result of FHA Catalyst. Prior to the 
COVID-19 pandemic, multifamily lenders submitted applications to HUD in 
USB and hard copy format via mail. Due to the pandemic, multifamily 
lenders are currently submitting electronic applications using various 
online file-sharing platforms (e.g., Dropbox) as a short-term solution. 
FHA Catalyst provides multifamily lenders and MFH with a central, 
secure portal and long-term solution for online application submissions 
that will be used for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. 
Hard copies and/or removable USB drives will no longer be required for 
applications submitted through FHA Catalyst once FHA Catalyst becomes 
mandatory.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; individuals or 
households; not-for-profit intuitions; state, local, or tribal 
government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 741.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 741.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Hours per Response: 1.
    Total Estimated Burden: 741.

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.
    (5) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to 
these questions.

C. Authority

    Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
3507.

Colette Pollard,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-22745 Filed 10-18-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P