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Department of Housing and Urban Development

Public and Indian Housing

Special Attention:

Section 8 Public Housing Agencies;

Public Housing Office Directors; Troubled Agency Recovery Center
Directors

Notice PIH 2000-34 (HA)

Issued: August 17, 2000

Expires: August 31, 2001

Cross References:

65 FR 38194

OMB Approval Number 2577-0215 expires 8/31/2003

Notice PIH 2000-24

Subject: Requirement to Send Section 8 Management Assessment

Program (SEMAP) Certification via the Internet

**1. [Purpose]{.underline}** This notice announces that HUD will release
a new SEMAP certification system during the month of September 2000, and
the new requirement that PHAs must submit their SEMAP certifications to
HUD on-line. The SEMAP system is being further tested and will soon
provide a single integrated module for HUD and public housing agency
management of SEMAP certifications, assessments and performance ratings.

**2. [Applicability]{.underline}** This notice applies to PHAs that
administer the Section 8 tenant-based program. PHAs with a fiscal year
end of September 30, 2000, will be the first PHAs required to send their
SEMAP certifications to HUD via the Internet and the first PHAs to be
rated under SEMAP. PHAs are required to send their SEMAP certifications
to HUD within 60 calendar days of fiscal year end.

**3. [Change in First PHAs to be Rated under SEMAP]{.underline}** A June
20, 2000 Federal Register notice, which established the August 1, 2000
effective date for the sections of the SEMAP rule pertaining to ratings,
stated that HUD expected that the first PHAs to be rated under SEMAP
would be PHAs with fiscal years July 1, 1999 to

June 30, 2000. Notice PIH 2000-24, issued July 12, 2000, announced the
Department's plans to begin rating under SEMAP for PHAs with fiscal
years ending June 30, 2000. The PIH notice also announced that
automation of the SEMAP certification and ratings was expected in time
for submissions by PHAs with a fiscal year end of June 30, 2000. The PIH
notice instructed PHAs with a fiscal year end of June 30, 2000 to wait
to submit their SEMAP certifications until they received additional
guidance concerning submission of the certification via the Internet.

This notice supersedes the above information in these two notices
concerning the first PHAs to be rated under SEMAP. The first PHAs to be
rated under SEMAP will be PHAs with fiscal years October 1, 1999 to
September 30, 2000. PHAs with a fiscal year end of June 30, 2000, should
continue submit their 2000 SEMAP certifications on paper. PHAs with a
fiscal year end of September 30, 2000, will be the first required to
send their SEMAP certifications via the Internet.

The additional one-calendar quarter delay in implementing SEMAP ratings
will allow more time for final testing of the automated SEMAP system,
for advance instruction to field offices and PHAs on the automated SEMAP
system and rating procedures, and for issuance of a planned rule change
on the SEMAP lease-up indicator.

**4. [Computer Access]{.underline}** In order to submit the SEMAP
certification electronically, a PHA must have access to a computer and
access to the Internet. Attached to this notice is a list of
requirements necessary to obtain access to the Internet. It is important
that each PHA obtain Internet access, as that will be the only way to
submit a SEMAP certification.

**5. [Passwords and Further Instructions]{.underline}** In September
2000 PHAs will receive more information from their field offices
regarding user IDs, passwords, and instructions for accessing the SEMAP
certification form in the Public and Indian Housing Information Center
(PIC), as well as a definitive date that the system will accept a PHA's
on-line certification.

**6. [Do Not Submit SEMAP Certifications on Paper]{.underline}** PHAs
with a fiscal year end of September 30, 2000 should no longer send SEMAP
certifications on paper. If a PHA sends a SEMAP certification on paper,
it will be required to resend the certification via the Internet. PHAs
with a fiscal year end of September 30, 2000, should wait to submit
their SEMAP certifications until they receive the necessary system
access information from their HUD field offices.

PHAs and field offices may expect more detailed guidance shortly
concerning electronic submission of SEMAP certifications and the rating
process.

/s/

Harold Lucas

Assistant Secretary for

Public and Indian Housing

Attachment