Department of Housing and Urban Development March 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule would extend the due date for Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) recipients to submit annual performance reports (APRs). Through the IHBG program, HUD provides housing assistance to Indian tribes and tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs). Currently, HUD's regulations require IHBG recipients to submit APRs 60 days after the end of the recipient's program year. HUD believes that extending this deadline by an additional 30 days will provide IHBG recipients with the necessary additional time to prepare and submit their APRs.

In this notice, the General Counsel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development designates the Order of Succession for the Office of General Counsel. This Order of Succession supersedes the Order of Succession for the General Counsel published on May 28, 2004.

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. The data collection requirements consist of an electronic lender certification process and requirements to provide reports and loan samples at FHA's request, and appeals in writing for loss of privilege to use the scorecard.

This notice provides information regarding the homeowner notification requirement of section 106(c)(5) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides legal rights and protections that are applicable to the debts of servicemembers and their dependents. Notice is to be provided to all homeowners who are in default in order to inform them of mortgage and foreclosure rights available to them under the SCRA if they are servicemembers or dependents of servicemembers. HUD has developed, in consultation with the Departments of Defense and Treasury, a final disclosure form to be used by mortgagees for fulfilling this notice requirement. HUD made the form available on its website in July 2006, and the form is also attached as an appendix to this notice.

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. Multifamily properties owned by HUD or with HUD-insured mortgages must be inspected regularly. Mortgagees/lenders inspect projects with HUD-insured mortgages. All owners/agents must certify that Exigent Health and Safety (EH&S) deficiencies noted during the inspection have been repaired. HUD uses the information to ensure that the properties are maintained in a condition that is decent, safe, sanitary, and in good repair.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of an upcoming meeting of the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee (the Committee) to be held via telephone conference. This meeting is open to the general public, which may participate by following the instructions below.

This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for possible use to assist the homeless.

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. Payment request vouches for distribution of grant funds using the automated Voice Response System (VRS). An authorization form is submitted to establish access to the voice activated payment system.

In accordance with section 102 (a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this announcement notifies the public of funding decisions made by the Department in a competition for funding under the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Rural Housing and Economic Development Program. This announcement contains the names of the awardees and the amounts of the awards.

This notice updates an obsolete Web site reference that was included in HUD's final ``Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons,'' as required by Executive Order (EO) 13166, published in the Federal Register on January 22, 2007, and which became effective on March 7, 2007.

This final rule clarifies and explains the procedures to be followed by requesters seeking a waiver or a reduction of fees under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This final rule describes the information that must be included in a FOIA request and the demonstrations that must be made in order for a waiver or reduction of fees to be granted. This final rule also revises the FOIA fee schedule, clarifies the time at which HUD will begin processing a FOIA request, and modifies HUD's policy on the use of outside contractors to fulfill FOIA requests. HUD undertook this effort in order to make the regulations governing fee waivers more informative and helpful in accordance with the President's recently issued Executive Order 13392, ``Improving Agency Disclosure of Information.'' This final rule also makes technical and conforming changes to reflect the realignment of FOIA correspondence processing functions within HUD, to correct HUD's definition of ``representative of the news media requester'' to ensure conformance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Fee Guidelines, and to update a cross-reference to time limits applicable to HUD for responding to a FOIA request. This final rule follows publication of an October 5, 2006, proposed rule on which HUD received one public comment.

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 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gives this notice to the public, agencies and Indian Tribes on the availability for public review and comment of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the redevelopment of the Westpark public housing community in Bremerton, WA. HUD gives this notice on behalf of the City of Bremerton acting as the Responsible Entity for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in accordance with 24 CFR 58.4, and jointly the Bremerton Housing Authority (BHA) acting as lead agency for compliance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). This notice is given in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. Notice is also given that the City of Bremerton as Responsible Entity has decided to combine the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 process with the NEPA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c). Comments are also being requested on the Section 106 information presented in the Draft EIS as well as on the Section 106 process itself.

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.

This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for possible use to assist the homeless.

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 describes the additional waivers for the disaster recovery grants made to the State of Mississippi under the subject appropriations acts.

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. Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) use this information in budget submissions which are reviewed and approved by HUD field offices as the basis for obligating operating subsidies. This information is necessary to calculate the eligibility for operating subsidies under the Operating Fund Program regulation, as amended. The Operating Fund Program is designed to provide the amount of operating subsidy that would be needed for well-managed PHAs.

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. HUD is requesting extension of OMB approval for the application for grant funds disbursement through the LOCCS Voice Response System.