Department of Housing and Urban Development February 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been 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. Borrowers who owe money to HUD must submit a Personal Financial Statement and Settlement Offer. HUD uses the information to analyze debtors' financial positions and then approve settlements, repayment agreements, and pre-authorized electronic payments to HUD.

This document designates ``Difficult Development Areas'' (DDAs) for purposes of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code) (26 U.S.C. 42) as amended by the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109- 135; the GO Zone Act). The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) makes new Difficult Development Area designations annually and is making a supplemental designation at this time because of changes in the program enacted in the GO Zone Act. The designations of ``Qualified Census Tracts'' (QCTs) under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code published December 12, 2002, as supplemented on December 19, 2003, remain in effect.

HUD gives notice to the public, agencies, and Indian tribes that the City of Redding, CA, makes available to the public for comment the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIS/FEIR) for the Stillwater Business Park project located in Redding CA. The City of Redding, CA has prepared the FEIS/FEIR under its authority as the Responsible Entity for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in accordance with 24 CFR 58.4, and under its authority as lead agency in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This notice is given in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. A HUD Economic Development Initiative (EDI) special purpose grant would be used for the project. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) will also fund water and wastewater related infrastructure. EPA is acting as a cooperating agency for this process.

Section 106 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (the HUD Reform Act) requires HUD to publish quarterly Federal Register notices of all regulatory waivers that HUD has approved. Each notice covers the quarterly period since the previous Federal Register notice. The purpose of this notice is to comply with the requirements of section 106 of the HUD Reform Act. This notice contains a list of regulatory waivers granted by HUD during the period beginning on July 1, 2005, and ending on September 30, 2005.

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.

Section 8(c)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (USHA) requires the Secretary to publish fair market rents (FMRs) periodically, but not less than annually, to be effective on October 1 of each year. On October 3, 2005, HUD published final FMRs for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006. This notice identified 58 areas at 50th percentile FMRs, which consists of 48 areas previously eligible for 50th percentile FMRs plus 10 areas that are newly eligible. The 48 existing 50th percentile FMR areas were evaluated in a notice published August 25, 2005 (70 FR 50138) and it was determined that only 14 of these areas would remain eligible to participate in the 50th percentile FMR program. This notice confirms the eligibility of the 24 areas identified as having continuing or new eligibility for 50th percentile FMRs. Following a review of public comments, this notice confirms and implements elimination of 50th percentile FMRs for the 34 areas identified as no longer eligible in the August 25, 2005, notice. HUD has special exception procedures to adjust voucher payment standards in areas affected by natural disasters. Areas directly or indirectly impacted by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita are either already qualified to use exception payment standards or can submit a documented request to do so. In areas directly affected by the two recent hurricanes, public housing agencies are authorized to use voucher payment standards of up to 120 percent of published FMRs, which is significantly higher than the standards permitted for 50th percentile areas. In addition, public housing agencies in these areas may request higher exception payment standards if justified by local rent increases.

This Notice advises the public of the allocations for grant funds for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster recovery grants for the purpose of assisting in the recovery in the most impacted and distressed areas related to the consequences of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. As described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Notice, HUD is authorized by statute to waive statutory and regulatory requirements and specify alternative requirements for this purpose, upon the request of the state grantees. This Notice also describes the common application and reporting waivers and the common alternative requirements for the grants. Each State receiving an allocation may request additional waivers from the Department as needed to address the specific needs related to that State's recovery activities.

This rule makes streamlining and clarifying changes to the consolidated plan regulations of state and local governments so that the plans are more results-oriented and useful to communities in assessing their own progress toward addressing the problems of low- income areas. The rule also eliminates obsolete and redundant provisions and makes other changes that conform these regulations to HUD's public housing regulations that govern the Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan. A consolidated plan is a document that jurisdictions submit to HUD if they receive funding under any of HUD's Community Planning and Development formula grant programs. The consolidated plan also serves as the jurisdiction's planning document for the use of the funds received under these programs.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of the upcoming meeting of the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (the Committee) to be held via telephone conference. The meeting is a continuation of the Committee's meeting held by telephone conference on January 23, 2006, and recessed until the next meeting. The meeting is open to the general public, which may participate by following the instructions below.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a (Privacy Act), the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) is issuing public notice of its intent to establish three new Privacy Act systems of records. The three systems are titled Emergency Contingency Plan and Personnel Locator System, Mortgage Fraud System, and Computer Systems Activity and Access Records System. OFHEO seeks comment on the new systems of records described in this notice. The Emergency Contingency Plan and Personnel Locator System will be established to maintain emergency contact information for use in developing and implementing an emergency plan, including a continuity of operations and essential functions plan, and to maintain a facilities evacuation plan. This system will enable OFHEO to adequately coordinate a plan for preparedness and facilities evacuation in the event of an emergency. The Mortgage Fraud System will maintain information of mortgage fraud or possible mortgage fraud involving the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association (collectively referred to as the ``Enterprises''). This system is being established so that OFHEO may respond appropriately to mortgage fraud in furtherance of the safe and sound operations of the Enterprises. The Computer Systems Activity and Access Records System will be established to maintain, plan, and manage computer system services. It is necessary to ensure security and proper use of OFHEO electronic information and computer systems and services.

The proposed information collection requirement establishment under the Final Rule implementing the Housing for Older Persons act of 1995 (HOPA) will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The Department is soliciting public comments on the information collection requirement.