[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9045-9046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3517]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. 5482-N-03]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Comment Request; 
Certification and Funding of State and Local Fair Housing Enforcement 
Agencies

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement concerning the 
certification and funding of State and local fair housing enforcement 
agencies 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.

DATES: Comments Due Date: April 18, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Collette Pollard, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Room 4160, 
Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 402-3400 (this is not a toll-free 
number) for copies of the proposed forms and other available 
information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth J. Carroll, Director, Fair 
Housing Assistance Program, Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th 
Street, SW., Room 5208, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 402-7044. 
(This is not a toll-free number.) Hearing or speech-impaired 
individuals may access this number TTY by calling the toll-free Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department is submitting the proposed 
information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 34, as amended).
    This Notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: 
(1) Enhance the certification and funding of State and local fair 
housing enforcement agencies; (2) Enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (3) Minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who respond; including the 
use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.
    Title of Proposal: Certification and Funding of State and Local 
Fair Housing Enforcement Agencies.
    Office: Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
    OMB Control Number: 2529-0005.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use:

A. Request for Substantial Equivalence

    For a state or local law to be certified as ``substantially 
equivalent'' and therefore be eligible to participate in the Fair 
Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), the Assistant Secretary for Fair 
Housing and Equal Opportunity must determine that the state or local 
law provides substantive rights, procedures, remedies, and the 
availability of judicial review that are substantially equivalent to 
the federal Fair Housing Act (the Act). State and local fair housing 
enforcement agencies that are seeking certification in accordance with 
Section 810(f) of the Act submit a request to the Assistant Secretary 
for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. The request must be supported 
by the text of the jurisdiction's fair housing law, the law creating 
and empowering the agency, all laws referenced in the jurisdiction's 
fair housing law, any regulations and directives issued under the law, 
and any formal opinions of the State Attorney General or the chief 
legal officer of the jurisdiction that pertain to the jurisdiction's 
fair housing law.

B. Information Related to Agency Performance

    Once agencies are deemed substantially equivalent and are 
participating in the FHAP, HUD collects sufficient information to 
monitor agency performance in accordance with 24 CFR 115.206, which 
sets forth the performance standards for agencies participating in the 
FHAP. These standards are meant to ensure that the state or local law, 
both ``on its face'' and ``in operation,'' provides substantive rights, 
procedures, remedies, and judicial review procedures for alleged 
discriminatory housing practices that are substantially equivalent to 
those provided in the FHA. In addition, HUD collects sufficient 
information to monitor agency compliance with 24 CFR 115.307 and 24 CFR 
115.308, which set forth requirements for FHAP participation and 
reporting and record keeping requirements including, but not limited 
to, the requirement that FHAP agencies use HUD's official complaint

[[Page 9046]]

data information system, and input complaint processing information 
into that system in a timely manner.
    Frequency of Submission: The Department estimates that requests for 
substantial equivalence will have the following reporting burdens:

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                                     Number of              Annual             Hours per
                                    respondents     x     responses      x      response      =   Burden  hours
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Reporting Burden................              10   ..               6   ..              15   ..             900
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    The Department estimates that reporting information related to 
agency performance will have the following reporting burdens:

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                                     Number of              Annual             Hours per
                                    respondents     x     responses      x      response      =   Burden  hours
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Reporting Burden................             100   ..              33   ..              20   ..          66,000
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    Total Estimated Burden Hours: 69,900.
    Status: Extension of currently approved collection.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: February 9, 2011.
Lynn M. Grosso,
Director, Office of Enforcement, Office of Fair Housing and Equal 
Opportunity.
[FR Doc. 2011-3517 Filed 2-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P