Department of Housing and Urban Development August 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In this notice, the Secretary of HUD delegates concurrent authority to the Director and Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC), relating to improving regional planning efforts that integrate housing and transportation decisions, and increase the capacity to improve land use and zoning.

This proposed rule would suspend FHA's mortgage insurance program for military impacted areas under section 238(c) of the National Housing Act (Act). This single-family mortgage insurance program, established by regulation in 1977, has been significantly underutilized for the past several years. Additionally, these mortgage loans are insured under comparable terms and conditions as loans insured under HUD's primary single-family mortgage insurance program under section 203(b) of the National Housing Act. Accordingly, those borrowers who would be served under section 238(c) of the Act are served equally well under the section 203(b) mortgage insurance program. The suspension of this mortgage insurance program is consistent with the President's budget request for Fiscal Year 2012.

Through this notice, the Secretary delegates to the Director, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, authority and responsibility for the direction of HUD's faith-based initiatives specifically relating to coordination with secular and faith-based nonprofit organizations seeking to partner with HUD, the provision of resources to those organizations, and the establishment of relationships between HUD and outside partners, practitioners, and organizations from the nonprofit and faith communities to more effectively identify and meet the needs of some of the Nation's most vulnerable citizens.

In this notice, the Secretary designates the Order of Succession for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. This Order of Succession supersedes all prior Orders of Succession for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

In this notice, the President of GNMA retains authority and redelegates authority granted to the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) to the Executive Vice President and other subordinate employees.

This notice is issued to consolidate the authorities delegated to the President of the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) from the Secretary; and to provide context and clarity for the President of GNMA's redelegation of authority being published by separate notice in today's Federal Register.

In this notice, the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research designates the Order of Succession for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. This Order of Succession supersedes all prior Orders of Succession for the Office of Policy Development and Research.

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 evaluating alternative survey methodologies to collect gross rent data for specific areas in a relatively fast and accurate way that may be used to estimate and update Section 8 Fair Market Rents (FMRs) in areas where FMRs are believed to be incorrect and data from the American Community Survey is not available at the local level. Section 8(C)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 requires the Secretary to publish Fair Market Rents (FMRs) annually to be effective on October 1 of each year. FMRs are used for the Section 8 Rental Certificate Program (including space rentals by owners of manufactured homes under that program); the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program; housing assisted under the Loan Management and Property Disposition programs; payment standards for the Rental Voucher program; and any other programs whose regulations specify their use. Random digit dialing (RDD) telephone surveys have been used for many years to adjust FMRs and will be evaluated for continued use. These surveys are based on a sampling procedure that uses computers to select statistically random samples of telephone numbers to locate certain types of rental housing units for surveying. Cell phone surveys will be incorporated into this methodology and comprise roughly one-third of the sample. In addition HUD will collect survey data using web-based and mail systems. Initially, as the methodology is being refined, HUD will conduct surveys of up to 4 individual FMR areas in a year to test the accuracy of their FMRs. Up to 5 individual FMR area will be surveyed after the new methodology is determined.

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

This notice advises of the cause and effect of termination of Direct Endorsement (DE) Approval taken by HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) against HUD-approved mortgagees through the FHA Credit Watch Termination Initiative. This notice includes a list of mortgagees which have had their DE Approval terminated.

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 announces HUD's proposal to conduct a Fellowship Placement Pilot (fellowship program). The fellowship program is designed to assist local governments rebuild their capacity by training and placing highly motivated early to midcareer professionals into two- year fellowships to work in a mayor's office or other offices of local government agencies. HUD will conduct the fellowship program in six pilot cities. HUD has conducted an extensive evaluation process and have selected the following six pilot cities: Chester, PA; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; and New Orleans, LA. Through a national competitive process, up to 30 fellows will be recruited for the initial class, where each pilot city may receive up to five fellows. Fellows will receive stipends and will be mentored by staff located in each pilot city. To administer the fellowship program, HUD will select an eligible third party as defined in section II.B. Definitions of this notice. Interested third parties are invited to submit full applications to be reviewed by HUD for consideration. While there is no match requirement for the fellowship program, HUD recognizes that the scope of work required of the program may exceed the funds that are available for this grant. Therefore, HUD expects that the selected third party will secure additional funding support from other philanthropic organizations to fulfill the scope of work for the fellowship program. (Please see section II.C.1 Leveraging for more information.) Funding for the fellowship program was made available to HUD through the Rockefeller Foundation, which HUD is statutorily authorized to accept.

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 CoC Check-up Tool enhances each CoC's awareness of their capacity to assume new responsibilities outlined in the McKinney-Vento ACT, as amended by HEARTH Act. Communities will self-identify and prioritize areas where improvement is needed. HUD will use aggregate information of assess and target technical assistance needs, prepare for training conferences, develop sample tools and templates, guidebooks, Webinars to help communities plan the transition.

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 advises the public of an additional waiver applicable to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster recovery grants provided to the State of New York for the purpose of assisting in the recovery from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City. As described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice, HUD is authorized by statute and regulations to waive statutory and regulatory requirements and specify alternative requirements for this purpose upon the request of the grantee. HUD previously published Federal Register notices applicable to these grants on January 28, 2002, February 7, 2002, March 18, 2002, May 22, 2002, May 16, 2003, and April 12, 2004.

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 Assisted Living Conversion Program (ALCP). This announcement contains the names of the grantees and the amounts of the awards made available by HUD.

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 standards for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, to determine initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, to determine initial rents for housing assistance payment contracts in the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program, and to serve as rent ceilings in the HOME program. Today's notice provides proposed FY 2012 FMRs for all areas that reflect the estimated 40th and 50th percentile rent levels trended to April 1, 2012. The FY 2012 FMRs are re- benchmarked using five-year, 2005-2009 data collected by the American Community Survey (ACS). These data are updated using one-year ACS data in areas where statistically valid one-year ACS data is available. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rent and utility indexes are used to further update the data from 2009 to the end of 2010. HUD continues to use 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 its Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA). The proposed FY 2012 FMR areas are based on current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) metropolitan area definitions and include HUD modifications that were first used in the determination of FY 2006 FMR areas. Changes to the OMB metropolitan area definitions through December 2009 are incorporated. The bedroom ratios developed using 2000 Census data continue to be used and state minimums, calculated each year from the estimated FMRs, continue to be applied. This notice also includes HUD's responses to comments received on the March 9, 2011, (76 FR 12985), Federal Register notice (``Trend Notice'') seeking public comment regarding the manner in which HUD calculates a trend factor, the time period the trend factor is applied in the FMR estimation process and related issues. HUD received four applications to participate in the Small Area FMR demonstration program. These applications are being reviewed and information on the demonstration program will be made available in a notice published at a later date. Finally, in an effort to serve HUD's external clients who use HUD's estimates of Area Median Family Income (MFI) and their associated Income Limits (IL), HUD is requesting comments on a proposal to establish a certain date for publishing these parameters.

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 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 required for: (1) FHA Lender Approval; (2) Annual renewal of each FHA Lender's Approval; (3) Updates to a FHA Lender's Approval; and (4) Various Reports from FHA Lenders.

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 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.

This notice announces changes in the interest rates to be paid on debentures issued with respect to a loan or mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration under the provisions of the National Housing Act (the Act). The interest rate for debentures issued under section 221(g)(4) of the Act during the 6-month period beginning July 1, 2011, is 3 percent. The interest rate for debentures issued under any other provision of the Act is the rate in effect on the date that the commitment to insure the loan or mortgage was issued, or the date that the loan or mortgage was endorsed (or initially endorsed if there are two or more endorsements) for insurance, whichever rate is higher. The interest rate for debentures issued under these other provisions with respect to a loan or mortgage committed or endorsed during the 6- month period beginning July 1, 2011, is 4\1/8\ percent. However, as a result of an amendment to section 224 of the Act, if an insurance claim relating to a mortgage insured under sections 203 or 234 of the Act and endorsed for insurance after January 23, 2004, is paid in cash, the debenture interest rate for purposes of calculating a claim shall be the monthly average yield, for the month in which the default on the mortgage occurred, on United States Treasury Securities adjusted to a constant maturity of 10 years.

Section 7(d) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act, as amended, provides authority to the Secretary to delegate functions, powers, and duties as the Secretary deems necessary. By separate notice published in today's Federal Register, the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing delegates authority, through the General Deputy Assistant Secretary, to Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Native American Programs to perform program administration, oversight and enforcement responsibilities for certain of HUD's programs directed to Native Americans, and authorizes the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Native American Programs to redelegate such authority. In this redelegation of authority, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) redelegates authority for the administration, oversight and enforcement of certain PIH programs.

Section 7(d) of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to delegate functions, powers, and duties as the Secretary deems necessary. By separate notice published in today's Federal Register, the Secretary delegates to the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing and the General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing authority for the administration of certain Public and Indian Housing (PIH) programs, and authorizes the Assistant Secretary to further redelegate such authority. In this consolidated redelegation of authority the Assistant Secretary for PIH redelegates to the PIH Deputy Assistant Secretaries authority for the administration of certain PIH programs.