[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8728-8729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3751]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5382-N-02]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment: 
Section 108 Program Assessment

AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: 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.

DATES: Comment Due Date: April 26, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and should 
be sent to: Reports Liaison Officer, Office of Policy Development and 
Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, 
SW., Room 8226, Washington, DC 20410.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judson L. James, Department of Housing 
and Urban Development, 457 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; 
telephone (202) 402-5707 (this is not a toll-free number). Copies of 
the proposed data collection and other available documents may be 
obtained from Mr. James.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice is soliciting comments from 
members of the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed 
collection of information to: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (2) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (4) minimize the burden of the collection of information 
on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, such as permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Title of Proposal: Section 108 Program Assessment.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The 
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

[[Page 8729]]

Development's (HUD) Section 108 program is the loan guarantee provision 
of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. It provides an 
upfront source of community and economic development financing, 
allowing an entitlement grantee to borrow up to five times its annual 
approved CDBG entitlement amount. Grantees address housing, community 
development, and economic development needs of low- and moderate-income 
persons and communities. The Section 108 loan guarantee program 
facilitates the financing of physical and economic revitalization 
projects--such as neighborhood commercial centers, small business 
incubators, industrial park rehabilitation, affordable housing 
activities, or office center construction--that have the potential for 
renewing neighborhoods or providing affordable housing to low- and 
moderate-income persons. HUD acts as the guarantor of a Section 108 
loan made from private-market funds, promising investors that the loan 
will be repaid.
    The survey is an essential part of a comprehensive evaluation of 
the Section 108 program, addressed to questions and concerns raised in 
a recent PART review of the Section 108 program by OMB. In addition to 
documenting the types of projects funded through Section 108 loans in 
recent years (FY 2002-FY 2007), the study will develop data from 
administrative loan files, selected site visits, and a survey of local 
administrators of all Section 108 loans for the FY 2002-FY 2007 period. 
The survey will confirm and extend the initial project descriptions 
found in the administrative files to permit more extensive analysis of 
the characteristics and progress of the activities funded by these 
loans. This study will increase understanding of the role of the 
Section 108 program in the community and economic development 
strategies of local governments, seek to identify the consequences of 
Section 108 projects, and identify ways to improve the measurement of 
the performance of Section 108 loans.
    Members of affected public: Local administrators of Section 108 
loans made in FY 2002 to FY 2007, involving a total of approximately 
320 loans.
    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection, including the number of respondents, frequency 
of response, and hours of response: The researchers will survey the 
universe of local administrators of the roughly 320 Section 108 loans 
approved between FY 2002 and FY 2007. The surveys are expected to last 
90 minutes. This constitutes a total burden hour estimate of 480 burden 
hours.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB 
approval.

    Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: January 28, 2010.
Raphael W. Bostic,
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 2010-3751 Filed 2-24-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P