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

Section 8(c)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (USHA) requires the Secretary to publish FMRs periodically, but not less than annually, adjusted to be effective on October 1 of each year. The primary uses of FMRs are to determine payment standard amounts for the Housing Choice Voucher program, to determine initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based section 8 contracts, to determine initial rents for housing assistance payment (HAP) contracts in the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program (Mod Rehab), and to serve as a rent ceiling in the HOME rental assistance program. Today's notice provides final FY2008 FMRs for all areas that reflect the estimated 40th and 50th percentile rent levels trended to April 1, 2008. The FY2008 FMRs are based on 2000 Census data updated with more current survey data. For the first time, HUD is using data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). HUD is largely replacing the accumulated 2001-through-2005 FMR update factors from various sources with data from ACS's first full implementation year, 2005. HUD uses ACS data in different ways according to how many two- bedroom, standard-quality and recent-mover sample cases are available in the FMR area or in its Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA), as described in detail later in this notice. Random digit dialing (RDD) surveys, as well as some limited private surveys, performed between 2001 and 2005 may also be used under certain conditions. Revised 2005 FMRs based on 2000 Census and 2005 ACS data have been updated with Consumer Price Index (CPI) data through the end of 2006 and then trended to April 2008, the midpoint of FY2008. FY2008 FMRs are the first to be able to take advantage of the full-implementation ACS, a major new Census survey that is being conducted annually. The ACS will replace the Decennial Census ``long-form'' sample survey that is the source of Decennial Census rent information. The ACS will permit more accurate FMR estimates each year than were possible using the Decennial Census trending techniques of previous FMR estimates.

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. The Residential Loan Application for Reverse Mortgages and related documents are used to determine borrower eligibility, property analysis, underwriting analysis, and collection of mortgage insurance premiums for loans that meet statutory, regulatory, state and FHA requirements. The HECM Program employs the use of HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that provide the required consumer education sessions; and FHA-approved lenders that are responsible for the origination, underwriting, and servicing responsibilities of FHA- insured loans.

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. The information is used by appraisers and/or underwriters upon their review of the appraisal report (URAR) to determine if a property meets FHA guidelines to be eligible for HUD mortgage insurance. Underwriters are required to sign and submit a copy of the completed form to HUD for endorsement as part of the case binder; to provide a copy to the homebuyer; and to maintain a copy for the mortgagee.

This Notice announces a debenture recall of certain Federal Housing Administration (FHA) debentures, in accordance with authority provided in the National Housing Act.

This notice applies to FHA single family mortgage insurance programs. This notice announces FHA's planned implementation of risk- based premiums, which are designed for mortgage lenders to offer borrowers an FHA-insured product that provides a range of mortgage insurance premium pricing, based on the risk the insurance contract represents.

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. Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) correct/mitigate exigent health and safety (EHS) deficiencies cited in property inspections conducted pursuant to HUD's Uniform Physical Condition Standards inspection protocol. Through the web-based template, PHAs electronically certify that they have corrected/mitigated the EHS deficiencies.

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 April 1, 2007 and ending on June 30, 2007.

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.

In accordance with section 102 (a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this document notifies the public of funding awards for Fiscal Year 2007 Hispanic- Serving Institutions Assisting Communities Program (HSIAC). The purpose of this document is to announce the names, addresses and the amount awarded to the winners to be used to help Hispanic-Serving Institutions of Higher Education to expand their role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in their localities, consistent with the purposes of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended.

This notice announces HUD's intention to sell certain unsubsidized multifamily and healthcare mortgage loans, without Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance, in a competitive, sealed bid sale (MHLS 2007-1). This notice also describes generally the bidding process for the sale and certain persons who are ineligible to bid.

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. Information is distributed to tenants of assisted rental housing units detailing guidelines for pet ownership. The information is necessary for owner compliance with nondiscrimination in federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped for pet ownership.

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. Mortgagees who elect to assign multifamily property to HUD complete form HUD-2537, Mortgagee's Application for Partial Settlement, Multifamily Mortgage. HUD uses the information to process a partial claim payment within 24 to 48 hours after assignment or conveyance.

This proposed rule would update HUD's environmental regulations to implement statutory changes and make environmental compliance easier. The rule would consider the use of electronic communication for certain records and submissions. The rule would also make other changes to clarify HUD's environmental regulations and provide conforming amendments.

This notice provides Supplementary Information and Technical Corrections to the Computer Matching Notice published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2006. This information changes the anticipated effective date of the computer matching program; removes the term ``applicants'' cited in the prior notice since disclosure of applicant information is not authorized; provides date and pertinent information about HUD's statutorily required evaluation document and its Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system; provides citations for HUD requirements described in the prior notice; and, clarifies the system of records in the program description and records to be matched. The authority, objectives, and the period of the match under the existing HUD and HHS computer matching program remain unchanged. A more detailed description about the current matching program is contained in the Supplemental Information section.

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.

In accordance with section 102 (a)(4)(C) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, this document notifies the public of funding awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) Program. The purpose of this document is to announce the names, addresses and the amount awarded to the winners to be used to assist Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian institutions of higher education to expand their role and effectiveness in addressing communities in their localities, consistent with the purpose of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.

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. This information is used to ensure that owners assess energy needs in an effort to reduce project operating costs and utility expended through cost-effective energy conservation and efficiency measures. HUD used the information in monitoring the Department's energy strategy and for inclusion in the Department's biannual reporting requirements to Congress as required by Section 154 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

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. Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) certify to HUD that contract requirements and standards have been satisfied in project development and HUD may authorize payment of funds due the contractor/developer. The Certification is submitted by a Public Housing Agency (PHA) to indicate to HUD that contract requirements have been satisfied for a specific project. The information is supplied by the project architect to assure the PHA and HUD that construction, which meets codes and HUD standards, has been incorporated into the project. Upon determining a proposed project is completed and that all contract requirements have been satisfied, HUD returns the certification to the PHA authorizing Payment to the contractor.

On May 7, 2007, the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) published a proposed rule that would restrict the issuance of physical certificates representing Ginnie Mae mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and clarify that book-entry securities may be withdrawn from the Federal Reserve book-entry system after Ginnie Mae has approved a request for physical certificates, also known as definitive securities, in the same amount. The rule also proposed to eliminate the requirement for a classified balance sheet. Ginnie Mae did not receive any public comments on this rule. Ginnie Mae is adopting, at this final rule stage, the proposed rule without change.

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 disaster recovery grants, upon the request of the state grantee(s). This Notice describes the additional waivers for the disaster recovery grants made to the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas (the States), which are the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) disaster recovery grantees 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. The competitive application Project Budget Summary is used by HOPWA competitive grants applications to identify funding requests by eligible activity and to show how these resources will the used over the three grant periodthis form also includes the accompanying program certifications. HOPWA formula and competitive grantees are required to submit annual performance reports that enables an assessment of grantee progress towards implementing the HOPWA housing stability annual performance outcome measure while measuring project success against planned and actual accomplishments.