71586 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 17, 2023 / Notices 

(3) Agency form number, if any, and 

the applicable component of the DHS 

sponsoring the collection: N–600K; 

USCIS. 

(4) Affected public who will be asked 

or required to respond, as well as a brief 

abstract: Primary: Individuals or 

households. Form N–600K is used by 

children who regularly reside in a 

foreign country to claim U.S. citizenship 

based on eligibility criteria met by their 

U.S. citizen parent(s) or grandparent(s). 

The form may be used by both 

biological and adopted children under 

age 18. USCIS uses information 

collected on this form to determine that 

the child has met all of the eligibility 

requirements for naturalization under 

section 322 of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (INA). If determined 

eligible, USCIS will naturalize and issue 

the child a Certificate of Citizenship 

before the child reaches age 18. 

(5) An estimate of the total number of 

respondents and the amount of time 

estimated for an average respondent to 

respond: The estimated total number of 

respondents for the information 

collection N–600K (Paper filed) is 2,187 

and the estimated hour burden per 

response is 1.71 hours; the estimated 

total number of respondents for the 

information collection N–600K (online 

filing) is 2,860 and the estimated hour 

burden per response is 1.14 hours. 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: The total estimated annual 

hour burden associated with this 

collection is 7,003 hours. 

(7) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in cost) associated with the 

collection: The estimated total annual 

cost burden associated with this 

collection of information is $649,801. 

Dated: October 10, 2023. 

Samantha L. Deshommes, 

Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, 

Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship 

and Immigration Services, Department of 

Homeland Security. 

[FR Doc. 2023–22801 Filed 10–16–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–97–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

[Docket No. FR–6338–N–01] 

Notice of Expansion and Proposed 

Restructuring of the Digital 

Opportunity Demonstration Program 

AGENCY: Office of Public and Indian 

Housing, HUD. 

ACTION: Notice, with request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 

is committed to advancing digital 

opportunities in HUD-assisted 

communities by expanding its 

ConnectHomeUSA initiative to between 

50 and 100 new communities. HUD’s 

ConnectHome pilot program was 

launched in 2015 to address the 

‘‘homework gap’’ for students in grades 

K–12 living in public and Indian 

housing. HUD partnered with interested 

public housing authorities and tribes to 

join forces with their city and tribal 

leadership to close this gap in twentyeight HUD-assisted communities. 

Through this notice, HUD solicits 

comment on the expansion and 

restructuring of its demonstration 

program (ConnectHomeUSA) that is 

designed to further the collaborative 

efforts by government, industry, and 

nonprofit organizations to accelerate 

broadband internet adoption and use in 

HUD-assisted homes. 

DATES: Comment Due Date: December 

18, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments responsive 

to this Notice to the Office of General 

Counsel, Regulations Division, 

Department of Housing and Urban 

Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 

10276, Washington, DC 20410–0001. All 

submissions should refer to the above 

docket number and title. Submission of 

public comments may be carried out by 

hard copy or electronic submission. 

1. Submission of Hard Copy Comments 

Comments may be submitted by mail 

or hand delivery. Each commenter 

submitting hard copy comments, by 

mail or hand delivery, should submit 

comments to the address above, 

addressed to the attention of the 

Regulations Division. Due to security 

measures at all federal agencies, 

submission of comments by mail often 

results in delayed delivery. To ensure 

timely receipt of comments, HUD 

recommends that any comments 

submitted by mail be submitted at least 

two weeks in advance of the public 

comment deadline. All hard copy 

comments received by mail or hand 

delivery are a part of the public record 

and will be posted to http://

www.regulations.gov without change. 

2. Electronic Submission of Comments 

Interested persons may submit 

comments electronically through the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://

www.regulations.gov. HUD strongly 

encourages commenters to submit 

comments electronically. Electronic 

submission of comments allows the 

commenter maximum time to prepare 

and submit a comment, ensures timely 

receipt by HUD, and enables HUD to 

make comments immediately available 

to the public. Comments submitted 

electronically through the http://

www.regulations.gov website can be 

viewed by other commenters and 

interested members of the public. 

Commenters should follow instructions 

provided on that site to submit 

comments electronically. 

Note: To receive consideration as public 

comments, comments must be submitted 

through one of the two methods specified 

above. Again, all submissions must refer to 

the docket number and title of the Notice. 

No Facsimile Comments. Facsimile 

(FAX) comments are not acceptable. 

3. Public Inspection of Comments 

All comments submitted to HUD 

regarding this Notice will be available, 

without charge, for public inspection 

and copying between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Eastern Time, weekdays at the above 

address. Due to security measures at the 

HUD Headquarters building, an advance 

appointment to review the public 

comments must be scheduled by calling 

the Regulations Division at 202–708– 

3055 (this is not a toll-free number). 

HUD welcomes and is prepared to 

receive calls from individuals who are 

deaf or hard of hearing, as well as 

individuals with speech or 

communication disabilities. To learn 

more about how to make an accessible 

call, please visit: https://www.fcc.gov/ 

consumers/guides/telecommunicationsrelay-service-trs. 

Copies of all comments submitted are 

available for inspection and 

downloading at http://

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dina 

Lehmann-Kim, Program Manager, 

Public and Indian Housing, Department 

of Housing and Urban Development, 

451 7th Street SW, Room 4130, 

Washington, DC 20024; telephone 

number 202–402–2430; email: 

Dina.Lehmann-Kim@hud.gov. HUD 

welcomes and is prepared to receive 

calls from individuals who are deaf or 

hard of hearing, as well as individuals 

with speech or communication 

disabilities. To learn more about how to 

make an accessible call, please visit: 

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ 

telecommunications-relay-service-trs. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Many low-income communities lack 

adequate access to broadband internet, 

which presents barriers to community 

members seeking economic and 


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1Advance Notice of Digital Opportunity 

Demonstration, U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development, Federal Register Notice 

(2015), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 

2015/04/03/2015-07719/advance-notice-of-digitalopportunity-demonstration. 

2HUD achieved the goal of onboarding 100 total 

communities in October 2020. Complete list of 

communities can be found here: Communities | 

HUD.gov/U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 

Development (HUD). 

3 Jobvite.com, 2021 Fortune 500 Candidate 

Conversion Audit, https://www.jobvite.com/lp/ 

2021-fortune-500-report/ (accessed 8/4/2022). 

4 Vogels, Digital Divide Persists Even as 

Americans With Lower Incomes Make Gains In 

Tech Adoption, Pew Research Center, (2021) 

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/06/22/ 

digital-divide-persists-even-as-americans-withlower-incomes-make-gains-in-tech-adoption/ 

(accessed 8/4/2022). 

5Townsend, Disconnected: How the Digital 

Divide Harms Workers and What We Can Do About 

It, The Century Foundation, (2020), https://tcf.org/ 

content/report/disconnected-digital-divide-harmsworkers-can/?session=1 (accessed 8/4/2022). 

6U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 

Development, Resident Characteristics Report, 

March 01, 2021 through June 30, 2022, https://

www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_

housing/systems/pic/50058/rcr (accessed 8/4/2022). 

7U.S. Government Accountability Office, Report 

to Congressional Requesters, Broadband: Intended 

Outcomes and Effectiveness of Efforts to Address 

Adoption Barriers Are Unclear, (2015), https://

www.gao.gov/products/gao-15-473 (accessed 8/4/ 

2022). 

8Frost, Pandemic Highlights Disparities in HighSpeed Internet Service, Joint Center for Housing 

Studies, Harvard University, (2021), https://

www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/pandemic-highlightsdisparities-high-speed-internet-service (accessed 10/ 

14/2022). 

9https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/; 

https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/fundingprograms/broadband-equity-access-anddeployment-bead-program; https://www.internet

forall.gov/program/digital-equity-act-programs; 

https://www.internetforall.gov/. 

10See FY21 Congressional Appropriations 

Conference Report: https://docs.house.gov/ 

billsthisweek/20201221/BILLS-116RCP68-JESDIVISION-L.pdf; and see FY22 Congressional 

Appropriations Conference Report: BILLS117RCP35-JES-DIVISION-L.pdf (house.gov). 

11The Affordable Connectivity Program provides 

a monthly subsidy of up to $30 ($75 on qualifying 

Tribal lands) to cover the cost of internet service for 

low-income Americans. For more information to go: 

Affordable Connectivity Program | Federal 

Communications Commission (fcc.gov). 

educational opportunities. This is 

known as the digital divide. In 2015, 

HUD launched the Digital Opportunity 

Demonstration 1 to narrow the digital 

divide for students living in HUDassisted communities by increasing 

access to broadband technology. 

Twenty-eight communities were 

selected to participate in the 

demonstration. Selected communities 

received various forms of support which 

included technical assistance from HUD 

headquarters and field office staff as 

well as from HUD’s former nonprofit 

partner, EveryoneOn. Communities also 

had access to special offers made by 

private sector stakeholder organizations 

to EveryoneOn to support pilot 

communities’ efforts. HUD also 

produced monthly newsletters and 

webinars designed specifically for 

participating communities. These 

provided the latest information on 

funding opportunities, research, best 

practices, and capacity-building related 

to digital inclusion. HUD also offered an 

annual two-day summit, which allowed 

communities to share best practices, 

learn from researchers or other 

practitioners in the field, and engage 

with HUD staff and staff from other 

federal agencies as well as private-sector 

stakeholders. 

The demonstration program was 

rebranded in 2017 as ConnectHomeUSA 

(CHUSA) with an expanded goal of 

onboarding a cumulative total of 100 

communities 2 by 2020. 

Knowledge is a catalyst for upward 

mobility. Countries and local 

communities that cultivate access to 

global knowledge will thrive in an 

increasingly complex and 

technologically oriented world, while 

those that do not will struggle to keep 

pace. The adoption and use of 

broadband technology and associated 

programming are powerful tools to 

increase access to knowledge. 

As in 2015, the jobs of tomorrow 

require robust technology skills. For 

example, over 80 percent of Fortune 500 

companies require job seekers to register 

an account on the companies’ online 

career site before even applying for an 

open position.3 The digital divide 

disproportionately affects certain 

Americans. Over 43 percent of 

households with an annual income of 

less than $30,000 have no home 

broadband connection.4 More than 31 

percent of American Indian and Alaska 

Native, African American, and Hispanic 

households do not have home access to 

high-speed internet.5 HUD serves these 

populations. 83 percent of HUD-assisted 

households have an annual income of 

less than $25,000 per year and 66 

percent are African American or 

Hispanic (46 percent and 20 percent, 

respectively).6

Research conducted by the U.S. 

Government Accountability Office 

highlighted several significant barriers 

that deter the adoption of broadband 

technology by the communities HUD 

serves.7 These barriers continue to 

include: 

• Cost: The most commonly-cited

barrier to broadband adoption is the 

high cost of internet subscriptions and 

computer equipment. 

• Perception: Many individuals are

concerned that broadband does not 

provide sufficient utility to offset its 

high cost or believe that broadband is 

not relevant to their life. 

• Skills: Lack of technology skills

often present a barrier to broadband 

adoption for older adults and lowerincome households. 

• Infrastructure: Tribes and rural

communities face the ongoing problem 

of lack of available broadband 

infrastructure. States with large rural 

areas tend to have larger digital 

divides.8

This opportunity to join CHUSA 

comes at a time when the federal 

government is providing unprecedented 

levels of funding for broadband 

networking and digital equity through 

various programs including the 

Affordable Connectivity Program, the 

Broadband Equity, Access and 

Deployment (BEAD) Program, the 

Digital Equity Act (DEA) and other 

programs.9 HUD will assist selected 

communities connect to these funding 

and other opportunities in order to 

minimize the barriers listed above, and 

close the digital divide. 

II. Notice

This Notice seeks to further expand

CHUSA and restructure its program 

model. The goal of this expansion is to 

add another 50 to 100 new 

communities. The program restructuring 

would adopt a three-tiered model, as 

described in this notice. This Notice and 

proposed restructuring also responds to 

Congressional interest 10 in having 

CHUSA reach more HUD-served 

communities. 

HUD’s goal is to identify new 

communities from urban and rural and 

Tribal locations with both small and 

large populations that have the capacity 

to effectively narrow the digital divide, 

including expanding programs and 

capabilities over time. HUD seeks 

communities where state, local or Tribal 

leadership has already taken steps to 

support the goals of CHUSA, as 

measured by both the community’s 

participation in other complementary 

Federal initiatives such as the 

Affordable Connectivity Program 11

which enhance internet access in 

communities and by local broadband 

plans and strategies for implementation. 

HUD seeks to partner with new 

communities, as well as existing 

CHUSA communities that wish to 

continue their work, and provide 

technical assistance to these 

communities to identify financial, inkind and other resources to accomplish 

the goals of CHUSA. In this vein, HUD 

encourages applicants to familiarize 

themselves with other Federal programs 

that are funding broadband, such as the 


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12https://www.educationsuperhighway.org/. 

13 In 2018, HUD conducted a study of the original 

pilot program and found that the ConnectHome 

intervention helped 71% use the internet for 

activities they could not previously undertake due 

to reliance on a cell phone with limited data (p. 39). 

See: ConnectHome Initiative—Full Report 

(huduser.gov/portal/publications/ 

ConnectHome.html). 

Broadband Equity, Access and 

Deployment grant ($42.45 billion) and 

the Digital Equity Act grant program 

($2.75 billion) by going to this 

comprehensive website: 

www.internetforall.gov. 

The number of communities served 

by CHUSA will depend on the number 

of communities that commit to 

narrowing the digital divide and that 

meet certain criteria. Exhibit A below 

sets forth these proposed criteria to 

restructure the program to create 

optimal conditions to accelerate the 

adoption and use of broadband 

technology and expand this technology 

within new and existing communities. 

HUD would restructure the program 

to establish three tiers. Each tier is 

intended to be flexible, recognizing the 

diverse set of communities being 

considered for or already participating 

in CHUSA. Tier 1 addresses new 

communities. Tier 2 concerns existing 

communities, including those that can 

assist new communities. Tier 3 are those 

communities that complete the criteria 

of Tier 2 and wish to further evaluate 

and refine their existing connectivity 

solution to ensure it best meets their 

community’s needs. HUD will not 

solicit any Tier 3 communities at this 

stage. 

There is no Congressional funding for 

CHUSA; the program implementation is 

contingent upon HUD resources such as 

staffing and technical assistance. As this 

expansion proceeds, HUD will continue 

to assess community interest and the 

availability of HUD staffing resources to 

support participation by additional 

communities. HUD will also assess the 

effectiveness of the selection criteria 

within the three tiers on an ongoing 

basis. Such assessment may expand the 

number of participating communities, 

revise the selection criteria, or both to 

reflect HUD’s experience in 

implementing CHUSA. 

III. Evaluating ConnectHomeUSA

HUD intends to extend the outcomes

of CHUSA, with the goal of increasing 

the number of participating 

communities. To this end, HUD will 

work with entities across the 

government, its nonprofit partner, 

EducationSuperHighway,12 and the 

research community to rigorously 

measure outcomes associated with the 

work of CHUSA to narrow the digital 

divide.13 The participating communities 

are expected to participate in any efforts 

designed to identify and share best 

practices with other HUD-assisted 

communities. In addition, participating 

communities will be required to 

measure and report outputs and 

outcomes. 

IV. Solicitation of Public Comments

In accordance with 24 CFR part 10

and section 470 of the Housing and 

Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 (42 

U.S.C. 3542), HUD is seeking comment 

on this expansion and restructuring of 

the CHUSA initiative in this Federal 

Register notice for 60-days of public 

comment. The public comment period 

provided allows HUD the opportunity to 

consider comments and be in a position 

to commence implementation of the 

expansion following the conclusion of 

the 60-day period. [Note: Do not submit 

application documents as public 

comments. See Section E in Exhibit A 

below for CHUSA application 

instructions.] HUD is also interested in 

receiving comments about specific 

areas. HUD will evaluate responses to 

the questions below and may modify the 

design of the program. If HUD decides 

to announce any changes to the 

program, HUD will provide notice to the 

public prior to requesting applications. 

1. The Digital Inclusion Stool (See

Paragraph A.1 in Exhibit A)

The primary focus of CHUSA 

addresses the three legs of the digital 

inclusion stool. HUD asks Tier 2 and 

Tier 3 communities to use their 

accomplishments in addressing the 

digital inclusion stool as a platform for 

helping residents achieve other 

outcomes by entering into agreements 

with quality-of-life partners. Should 

HUD ask communities to focus on other 

areas such as employment and 

education? 

2. Tiered Model

a. Is the support HUD describes

sufficient for each Tier, or should HUD 

consider other forms of support? If so, 

what kind? To answer this question, 

HUD recommends reviewing paragraph 

B.3 in Exhibit A.

b. Should HUD consider other

achievements in order for Tier 1 

communities to be able to graduate to 

Tier 2 and for Tier 2 communities to 

graduate to Tier 3? To answer this 

question, HUD recommends reviewing 

paragraph C in Exhibit A. 

c. The proposed focus of Tier 3 is

connectivity; should Tier 3 focus on 

other elements instead or in addition to 

connectivity? 

3. Required Levels of Engagement (See

Section C in Exhibit A)

a. Staffing. During the implementation

of both the pilot ConnectHome and 

expansion CHUSA programs, HUD 

found communities with dedicated staff 

support were generally more successful. 

For this reason, HUD is asking 

communities to identify a staff person 

who would be responsible for leading 

this work. HUD is interested in 

understanding whether this requirement 

is overly burdensome. 

b. Data Collection. HUD is proposing

that selected communities report on a 

quarterly basis the number of in-home 

internet connections, devices, and 

digital skills trainings residents 

complete each quarter. Is this frequency 

enough, is it burdensome, and what 

challenges to collecting this data should 

HUD be aware of? Should HUD consider 

other metrics? Finally, how should HUD 

share or display the data collected— 

should it be available to the public or 

shared only with participating 

communities? 

c. Three-year commitment. HUD is

asking communities to commit to a 

three-year program. Is this period long 

enough to help communities realize 

gains in each area of the digital 

inclusion stool or should HUD consider 

a different time period? 

4. Digital Badges (See Paragraph B.5 of

Appendix A)

HUD is proposing a variety of digital 

badges to recognize programmatic 

achievements. Some of these badges 

will be required to graduate to a higher 

tier. Are there other ways HUD could 

recognize community achievements or 

other achievements HUD should 

recognize? 

5. Resources

There are new federal funding

resources available to address the three 

legs of the digital inclusion stool, such 

as the Affordable Connectivity Program 

which covers up to $30 for internet 

service (and up to $75 on tribal lands) 

for qualifying families. There are also 

forthcoming Digital Equity Act funds 

that will provide funding for the types 

of activities CHUSA communities 

undertake. In addition to these 

resources as well as access to HUD staff, 

HUD-provided technical assistance, and 

EducationSuperHighway’s expertise, 

HUD is interested in understanding 

whether there are other resources that 

communities would find useful in order 

to implement a CHUSA program. 


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14Narrowing the Digital Divide Through 

Installation of Broadband Infrastructure in HUDFunded New Construction and Substantial 

Rehabilitation of Multifamily Rental Housing 

(December 2016); Modernizing HUD’s Consolidated 

Planning Process to Narrow the Digital Divide and 

Increase Resilience to Natural Hazards (December 

2016); and Use of Public Housing Funding to 

Support internet Connectivity for Residents 

(January 2021). 

15See FY21 Congressional Appropriations 

Conference Report: https://docs.house.gov/ 

billsthisweek/20201221/BILLS-116RCP68-JESDIVISION-L.pdf; and see FY22 Congressional 

Appropriations Conference Report: BILLS117RCP35-JES-DIVISION-L.pdf (house.gov). 

16https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/; 

https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/fundingprograms/broadband-equity-access-anddeployment-bead-program; https://

www.internetforall.gov/program/digital-equity-actprograms; https://www.internetforall.gov/. 

17https://socialinnovation.usc.edu/wp-content/ 

uploads/2018/06/Collective-Impact-Handout.pdf. 

18CHUSA TA products include: The CHUSA 

Playbook; webinars tied to Playbook chapters; 

toolkits, guides and planning documents; and the 

annual CHUSA Summits. Note: Tier 1 communities 

will have access to in-person summits on a spaceavailable basis, but will have access to all virtual 

broadcasting of the summits. https:// 

Continued 

6. Selection Criteria (See Sections C and 

D of Appendix A) 

Are there other factors HUD should 

consider when evaluating applications? 

Dominique Blom, 

General Deputy Assistant Secretary—Public 

and Indian Housing. 

Exhibit A 

Restructuring the ConnectHomeUSA 

Program 

A. Background 

The U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development (HUD) has long 

understood the importance of bridging the 

digital divide. Since 1995, HUD has engaged 

in various digital inclusion efforts, including 

community-based programs such as 

Neighborhood Networks and CHUSA. HUD 

has also updated regulations to assess the 

need for and allow the use of HUD funding 

for broadband-related uses.14 These efforts 

have helped to ensure HUD-assisted 

residents’ broadband needs are addressed 

within the parameters of HUD’s existing 

authorities and funding. 

HUD is committed to further narrowing the 

digital divide in HUD-assisted communities. 

The further expansion of CHUSA announced 

in this Notice builds on best practices and 

lessons learned from the 100 communities 

that have joined ConnectHome or CHUSA 

since 2015. The expansion also responds to 

Congressional interest 15 in seeing CHUSA 

grow. With the support of HUD’s new 

nonprofit partner, EducationSuperHighway 

(ESH), this expansion will create a new tiered 

model to support participating communities’ 

digital inclusion and digital equity goals. 

The opportunity to join CHUSA comes at 

a time when the federal government is 

providing unprecedented levels of funding 

for broadband networking and digital equity 

through various programs including the 

Affordable Connectivity Program, the 

Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment 

Program, the Digital Equity Act and other 

programs.16 HUD will assist selected 

communities to connect to these funding 

opportunities. 

1. Goals of CHUSA 

The overarching goal of CHUSA is to assist 

participating communities to effectively 

bridge the digital divide by addressing the 

three primary barriers to internet adoption in 

low-income communities: 

• High cost or lack of internet service; 

• High cost or lack of computing devices 

(smart phones are not considered computing 

devices for the purposes of CHUSA); and 

• The need for hands-on digital literacy 

training. 

These three elements are commonly referred 

to as ‘‘the three legs of the digital inclusion 

stool.’’ 

Successfully addressing the digital 

inclusion stool requires contributions from 

various organizations—no single organization 

can do this work alone. For this reason, the 

collective impact model 17 is the organizing 

principle around which CHUSA is based. 

This principle relies on one organization 

acting as the conductor, or leader, that 

organizes the symphony of partners towards 

achieving the agreed-upon goal of narrowing 

the digital divide in the targeted community. 

In the case of CHUSA, the housing entity 

such as a PHA usually serves as the lead 

organization. 

During the course of a three-year 

commitment, Tier 1 communities establish 

goals and partnerships that address all three 

legs of the digital inclusion stool. Tier 2 and 

Tier 3 communities continue this work and 

use it as a platform for enhancing the 

economic, educational, and social well-being 

of the public and assisted housing residents 

in their targeted neighborhoods. Tier 2 and 

3 communities will be asked to enter into an 

agreement with a ‘‘quality-of-life’’ partner 

such as a community college, apprenticeship 

program, local employer, or other 

organization. 

B. Scope of Expansion and Timeline for 

Selection 

1. Scope of Expansion 

With this Notice, HUD is announcing a 50– 

100 community expansion of the CHUSA 

program. HUD seeks applicants from the 

Public and Indian Housing and Multifamily 

Housing programs from all HUD regions. 

HUD recognizes that some communities 

may be new to the work of digital inclusion 

while others may be ready for a deeper 

investment, and still others might fall 

somewhere in between. For this reason, HUD 

has established a three-tiered model that 

would allow communities to take an 

incremental approach to this work. All 

communities, except existing CHUSA 

communities, would apply to join Tier 1. 

Existing CHUSA communities are 

encouraged to apply as Tier 2 communities. 

If selected, HUD (with support from its 

nonprofit partner, ESH) will work with 

communities to help them reach the level of 

engagement, or tier, they are most interested 

in pursuing. 

2. Eligible Applicants 

HUD seeks applicants from all ten HUD 

regions, Public and Indian Housing, and 

Multifamily Housing programs (including 

(but not limited to) Section 8 Project-Based 

Rental Assistance, Section 202, and Section 

811 programs). Applications can be 

submitted by: 

• Public Housing Agencies or their 

nonprofit affiliates; 

• Tribes/Tribally Designated Housing 

Entities; and 

• Multifamily owners and operators. 

3. Tiered Model 

Closing the digital divide requires many 

organizations working together. The new 

CHUSA program allows communities to 

build their capacity and partnerships over 

time. This approach facilitates the creation of 

robust and sustainable digital inclusion 

programs. 

Tier 1 helps communities put in place the 

key components around the digital inclusion 

stool that are necessary for building a 

comprehensive digital inclusion program. 

Tier 2 will support communities’ plans to 

grow their programs by offering more handson assistance tailored to the individual 

community’s needs from HUD Headquarters 

and field staff as well as support from ESH. 

The areas of assistance offered could range 

from connecting to local partners, assisting 

with the development of the CHUSA Action 

Plan and convenings, providing information 

about funding opportunities, or other 

technical assistance. Tier 3 is reserved for 

communities that have met the requirements 

of Tier 2 and wish to evaluate their existing 

connectivity solution, refine it, or develop a 

customized connectivity solution that best 

meets the needs of their targeted 

neighborhoods and properties while still 

providing programs that address the three 

legs of the digital inclusion stool and their 

quality-of-life goals. With the exception of 

existing CHUSA communities, this Notice is 

asking interested applicants to sign on as Tier 

1 communities. Former or current CHUSA 

communities are encouraged to apply to join 

as Tier 2 communities. 

Each tier will have reporting requirements 

that will allow communities to demonstrate 

achievement of specific metrics that signal 

progress and will allow communities to 

eventually graduate to a higher tier. HUD will 

award distinct electronic badges for each 

metric attained. Communities can use these 

badges to display on their websites, social 

media sites, marketing or other 

communications materials, and share with 

potential funders. See paragraph 5 below for 

a description of the badges HUD will award. 

a. Tier 1: Basic Engagement Requirements 

This introductory level asks participating 

communities to commit to closing the digital 

divide in their communities by: 

• Using existing CHUSA technical 

assistance tools and products 18 to deepen 

their understanding of digital inclusion; and 


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71590 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 17, 2023 / Notices 

www.hudexchange.info/programs/ 

connecthomeusa/. 

• Assigning a staff lead to begin 

establishing the necessary elements and 

partnerships to close the digital divide in 

their communities (see Section C, 

‘‘Application and Criteria for Participation’’ 

below). 

Interested communities can qualify for this 

tier by submitting a Letter of Intent indicating 

their interest in joining the initiative. See 

Section C ‘‘Application and Criteria for 

Participation’’ below for Letter of Intent 

requirements. 

HUD Support 

If selected for Tier 1, you will receive: 

• An electronic badge indicating your 

official participation in Tier 1. This badge 

can be used to announce your participation 

in this national initiative, posted on your 

website, shared with potential funders, and 

used in other communications materials; 

• Access to all future CHUSA technical 

assistance announcements including 

invitations to webinars, special events, and 

summits (Note: Tiers 2 and 3 will receive 

priority for in-person events); 

• Invitations to collaborate on CHUSA 

events that may be facilitated by HUD; and 

• Information about and support for 

connecting to opportunities funded under the 

Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment 

Program, and the Digital Equity Act. 

b. Tier 2: Intermediate Engagement 

Requirements 

Existing CHUSA communities can qualify 

for this tier by submitting a Letter of Intent 

indicating their interest in continuing 

participation for an additional three years 

(See Section C, ‘‘Application and Criteria for 

Participation’’ below for Letter of Intent 

requirements). 

HUD Support 

If selected for Tier 2, you will receive: 

• All HUD support included in Tier 1; 

• Electronic badges indicating specific 

accomplishments (e.g., number of residents 

trained) which can be used to demonstrate 

accomplishments to partners and funders; 

• Access to HUD staff for organizational 

assistance with local CHUSA convenings and 

troubleshooting challenges; 

• Technical assistance from HUD and ESH 

to help address connectivity challenges and 

support for the initial development of a 

customized connectivity plan (if applicable); 

• Specific guidance around BEAD and 

DEA funding requirements and 

opportunities; 

• Access to all stakeholder offers that may 

be limited to CHUSA communities; 

• Access to CHUSA VISTA positions on a 

first-come, first-served basis; and 

• Priority registration for the CHUSA 

annual summit. 

c. Tier 3: Advanced Engagement 

Requirements 

Tier 2 communities that have fulfilled all 

requirements can move to Tier 3 by 

demonstrating an interest in evaluating their 

existing connectivity solution, refining it, 

and/or developing a customized connectivity 

solution that would allow for free or very 

affordable service for their residents that: 

• Creates innovative and sustainable 

connectivity solutions that can serve as 

replicable models for other affordable 

housing providers; 

• Continues to provide digital literacy 

training and access to affordable devices; and 

• Creates pathways into apprenticeships 

and/or employment in fields requiring digital 

skills (in collaboration with the existing 

quality-of-life partner or other organizations). 

HUD Support 

If selected for Tier 3, you will receive: 

• All HUD support included in Tier 2; 

• If funds allow, a dedicated HUD staff 

person to support your work; 

• Ongoing support from HUD and ESH to 

provide technical assistance towards 

developing and implementing a customized 

connectivity solution; and 

• Enhanced HUD collaboration around 

community-driven outreach and goals. 

4. Changing Tiers 

Communities selected to participate in Tier 

1 or Tier 2 may submit a request to move to 

the next tier at any time during the three-year 

term. They must submit a Letter of Intent to 

ConnectHome@hud.gov that demonstrates 

they have met the requirements of their 

existing tier (see Section C, ‘‘Application and 

Criteria for Participation’’ below) and are 

ready to implement the requirements of the 

tier they wish to join. 

5. Electronic Badges 

HUD will award badges to officially 

recognize communities participating in this 

program for key accomplishments. Receipt of 

key badges will be necessary to move to the 

desired tier. As the program unfolds, 

additional badges may be created. The types 

of badges include: 

• Designation as CHUSA Community: 

Æ Tier 1 ConnectHomeUSA Badge 

Æ Tier 2 ConnectHomeUSA Badge 

Æ Tier 3 ConnectHomeUSA Badge 

• Program Accomplishments: 

Badge level 

Connectivity 

(percentage of 

target units 

connected) 

Devices 

(number of 

devices 

distributed, 

% of goal) 

Training 

(number of 

residents 

completing digital 

skills training, 

% of goal) 

Bronze ........................................................................................................................ 25 25 25 

Silver .......................................................................................................................... 50 50 50 

Gold ........................................................................................................................... 85 85 85 

Platinum ..................................................................................................................... 90–100 90–100 90–100 

• Program Milestones: 

Æ Baseline Survey Completed 

Æ Convening Held 

D Bronze (Year 1) 

D Silver (Year 2) 

D Gold (Year 3) 

D Platinum (for Tier 3) 

Æ Action Plan Submitted and Approved 

D Bronze (Year 1) 

D Silver (Year 2) 

D Gold (Year 3) 

D Platinum (for Tier 3) 

Æ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 

with State or City/Tribal Leadership 

Finalized 

Æ MOU with Quality-of-Life Partner 

Finalized 

Æ Data Leader 

Æ Digital Ambassador Program Established 

Æ Digital Inclusion Coalition Established 

Æ Designated Mentor Community (for 

other CHUSA communities) 

6. Number of Communities To Be Selected 

HUD will select between 50 and 100 

communities to join Tier 1. Existing CHUSA 

communities wishing to continue their 

participation in the initiative can apply to 

join as Tier 2 communities. 

7. Application Due Date 

Letters of Intent are due February 15, 2024. 

Letters of Intent must be submitted to the 

following email address: CHUSA_

applications@hud.gov. 

8. Date of Announcement of Selected 

Communities 

HUD will announce selected communities 

by MAY 15, 2024. 

9. Commitment Period 

Communities will be expected to commit 

to participation in CHUSA for a period of 

three years. 

10. Extension Periods 

Participating communities may request to 

extend their period of participation beyond 

three years. For example, communities in 

Tier 1 that advance to Tier 2 during the 

course of their first three-year term, may wish 

to continue participating for a longer period 

to achieve the goals associated with Tier 2. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 17, 2023 / Notices 71591 

19https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ 

590bfab229687fec92f55513/t/5df26fd4d153

a4617e035aad/1576169435094/ 

ConnectHomeUSA+Playbook+2019+1-8_Final.pdf. 

20https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/ 

connecthomeusa/playbook-toolkits-and-guides/. 

21https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/6723/ 

connecthomeusa-action-plan-toolkit/. 

Communities wishing to extend their 

participation should email their request to 

ConnectHome@hud.gov. HUD staff will work 

with the community to determine if an 

extension is warranted. 

C. Application and Criteria for Participation 

Applicants interested in either Tier 1 or 

Tier 2 must submit a Letter of Intent to 

CHUSA_applications@hud.gov. Interested 

applicants should familiarize themselves 

with the application requirements and 

program expectations described below. Tier 2 

is reserved for communities that were part of 

the ConnectHome pilot program or the 

CHUSA program. 

Tier 1: Basic Engagement—Application 

Requirements 

Application Requirements 

In order to indicate your interest in joining 

the CHUSA initiative as a Tier 1 community, 

you must submit a Letter of Intent indicating 

that you will begin working to close the 

digital divide in your community. The letter 

must indicate how you will meet the 

required levels of engagement outlined in the 

paragraph below. The letter must be 

submitted to CHUSA_applications@hud.gov, 

must include a primary point of contact, and 

must be signed by your Executive Director or 

other official authorized to make this 

commitment. 

Required Levels of Engagement 

If selected, you will be asked to commit to 

the following over a three-year period: 

• Assign a staff member(s) to lead the work 

(learning about digital inclusion, sharing 

findings with key staff, developing an initial 

Action Plan. See the Launchpad chapters of 

the CHUSA Playbook 19 and the associated 

Toolkits 20); 

• Indicate which developments you are 

targeting; please include the addresses and 

number of units; 

• Administer a baseline resident survey to 

understand the level of need for connectivity, 

devices, and digital skills training by the end 

of the first year of receiving your CHUSA 

designation; 

• Establish annual internet adoption, 

device, and training goals for each of the 

three years of your participation; 

• Participate in CHUSA-sponsored training 

events such as webinars and conferences. 

(NOTE: Tier 1 communities will be able to 

participate in annual in-person CHUSA 

summits on a space-available basis but they 

will be able to participate in any virtual 

portions); 

• Participate in community of practice 

forums that may be established for this Tier; 

and 

• Submit quarterly reports on the 

achievement of the metrics associated with 

Tier 1 as relevant (see below). 

Graduating to Tier 2 

At any time during the initial three-year 

period, if your community is interested in 

moving to Tier 2, you will be required to 

submit a new Letter of Intent that matches 

the application requirements for Tier 2 and 

demonstrates the accomplishment of the 

criteria outlined below: 

• Using your baseline survey results as a 

guide, describe annual connectivity, device, 

and training goals leading to a three-year goal 

of connecting 85% of your target population 

by the end of three years; 

• Hold a convening of local and national 

stakeholders and partners who can assist you 

in reaching your goals (see CHUSA Playbook 

Chapter 4 on Convenings and the associated 

Convening Toolkit); 

• Submit to your local HUD 

ConnectHomeUSA lead a CHUSA Action 

Plan outlining your goals (see the Action 

Plan template 21 and Playbook Launchpad 

Chapters 1–5) and receive HUD approval; 

• Enter into a formal partnership 

agreement with your state or municipal 

leadership and a quality-of-life partner; and 

• Commit to submitting quarterly reporting 

on the number of connections, devices, and 

digital literacy training completions. 

Tier 1 Badges Required for Graduating to Tier 

2 

• Baseline Survey Completed 

• Convening Held 

• Action Plan Submitted and Approved 

• MOU with City/Tribal Leadership 

Finalized 

• MOU with Quality-of-Life Partner 

Finalized 

Tier 2: Intermediate Engagement 

With this Notice, HUD is asking existing 

CHUSA communities (or previous pilot 

communities) to formally opt into this 

expansion by submitting a Letter of Intent 

that addresses the elements outlined in the 

‘‘Application Requirements’’ paragraph 

below. CHUSA communities accepted into 

Tier 2 will also be expected to meet the 

requirement specified in the ‘‘Required 

Levels of Engagement’’ paragraph below. 

Tier 2 requires active engagement by three 

entities: the housing provider, state or 

municipal leadership, and a quality-of-life 

partner. The three entities must commit to 

working together to close the digital divide 

and leverage connectivity gains to help 

residents make progress in other socioeconomic areas. 

Application Requirements 

CHUSA communities interested in 

continuing their participation in this 

initiative must submit a Letter of Intent that: 

• Identifies key staff person(s) responsible 

for carrying out your CHUSA program; 

• Quantifies your connectivity, device, and 

training achievements to date. This will serve 

as a baseline against which to measure your 

future progress; 

• Indicates the targeted developments for 

this phase of your participation and the 

number of units; 

• Commits to administering another 

baseline survey in the first six months to 

inform your ongoing connectivity, device, 

training, and other goals; 

• Describes your vision and goals 

(including for connectivity, devices, and 

training) for this phase of your participation 

(Note: goals may be updated after results are 

obtained from the baseline survey) and how 

this work will be supported by your 

organization’s leadership; 

• Identifies a state or municipal or tribal 

partner agency and contact; and 

• Identifies a quality-of-life partner and 

contact. 

Required Levels of Engagement 

If selected, you will be asked to commit to 

the following over a three-year period: 

• Assign a staff person(s) responsible for 

carrying out your CHUSA program; 

• Administer a baseline resident survey 

within the first six months to understand the 

level of community need for connectivity, 

devices, digital literacy training; and other 

areas of interest (e.g., workforce development 

and apprenticeships, etc.). The results will be 

used to refine the goals you outlined in your 

application; 

• Host a local convening (may be virtual) 

of current and potential CHUSA stakeholders 

to form partnerships. The convening must be 

completed no later than six months after 

being selected (see ConnectHomeUSA 

Playbook Chapter 4); 

• Submit an Action Plan (See template on 

HUD Exchange, Playbook Launchpad 

chapters 1–5, and the accompanying 

Launchpad Toolkit) targeting the identified 

needs from the baseline survey to HUD 

CHUSA staff no later than 3 months after 

your convening; 

• Establish annual internet adoption, 

device, and training goals for each of the 

three years of your participation; 

• Your connectivity goal should lead to 

85% connectivity of your target community 

by the end of the three years; 

• Enter into an agreement with a thirdparty partner to bring employment, 

education, or other related opportunity to the 

targeted community by the end of the first 

year; 

• Use HUD or ESH-indicated reporting tool 

to track progress on a quarterly basis (see Tier 

2 Badges paragraph below); 

• Participate in monthly regional HUD 

calls and/or other community of practice 

forums that may be established; 

• Participate in the annual CHUSA 

Summits (either virtually or in-person). 

Tier 2 Badges 

Using data you submit during the course of 

your participation in Tier 2, you will be 

eligible to receive badges for achievements 

related to connectivity, devices, training as 

well as badges that recognize project 

milestones. 

• By the end of year 1, we will expect the 

following badges to be earned: 

Æ Bronze badges for all three legs of the 

digital inclusion stool 

Æ Baseline Survey Completed 

Æ Convening Held (Bronze) 

Æ Y1 Action Plan Submitted and 

Approved 

Æ MOU with City/Tribal Leadership 

Finalized 

Æ MOU with Quality-of-Life Partner 

Finalized 


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• By the end of year 2, we will expect the 

following badges to be earned: 

Æ Silver badges for all three legs of the 

digital inclusion stool 

Æ Y2 Action Plan Submitted and 

Approved (Silver badge) 

Æ Convening Held—Silver (Optional but 

encouraged) 

• By the end of year 3, we will expect the 

following badges to be earned: 

Æ Gold badges for all three legs of the 

digital inclusion stool 

Æ Y3 Action Plan Submitted and 

Approved (Silver badge) 

Æ Convening Held—Gold (Optional but 

encouraged) 

Graduating to Tier 3 

Tier 2 communities that have made 

significant strides in connecting residents to 

in-unit internet service, devices and training 

(attainment of silver badges in two of these 

areas will be required as a minimum) and 

that wish to deepen their digital inclusion 

work by evaluating their existing 

connectivity solution, refining it, and/or 

developing a customized connectivity 

solution that best meets the needs of their 

targeted communities may contact their HUD 

CHUSA staff to join Tier 3. 

Tier 3: Advanced Engagement 

HUD and ESH staff will work closely with 

these communities to help them assess their 

current connectivity solution, refine and/or 

create customized connectivity solutions, 

address challenges, and identify outside 

resources to support the work. These 

communities will be required to continue to 

report and to develop an Annual Action Plan 

for the duration of their participation 

(between 1–3 years). 

D. Selection Criteria 

Tier 1: Basic Engagement 

HUD is looking for comprehensive and 

detailed responses to the criteria outlined 

under Section C, ‘‘Application and Criteria 

for Participation’’ for this tier. Letters of 

Intent should clearly demonstrate a strong 

interest in narrowing the digital divide in the 

target communities. 

Tier 2: Intermediate Engagement 

HUD is looking for comprehensive and 

detailed responses to the criteria outlined 

under ‘‘Application and Criteria for 

Participation’’ for this tier. Letters of Intent 

should clearly demonstrate a strong 

commitment to narrowing the digital divide 

in your target communities and demonstrate 

strong partnerships with state, local or Tribal 

government and a quality-of-life partner. 

Letters of Intent should clearly describe how 

the applicant’s organization will support the 

work and how this work can complement the 

organization’s other self-sufficiency efforts or 

programs. 

Tier 3: Advanced Engagement 

No applications for this Tier are being 

accepted at this time. Tier 2 communities 

that demonstrate significant progress in each 

area of the digital inclusion stool (silver-level 

badges will be required for at least two of the 

three legs of the stool) as well as ongoing 

commitment to this work through the active 

engagement of staff and regular reporting, 

will be able to move to this tier and benefit 

from the tailored assistance aligned with this 

tier. 

E. CHUSA Application Instructions 

Eligible entities interested in applying to 

join this expansion of CHUSA should send 

a Letter of Intent to: CHUSA_applications@

hud.gov. This Letter of Intent serves as an 

application to participate in the CHUSA 

expansion detailed in this notice. See Section 

C, ‘‘Application and Criteria for 

Participation’’ for details regarding the Letter 

of Intent. 

Applications will be accepted by HUD 

beginning 61 days after the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register. All 

applications must be submitted by February 

15, 2024. Any application submitted after 

this deadline will not be accepted. 

[FR Doc. 2023–22800 Filed 10–16–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

[Docket No. FR–7070–N–75] 

30-Day Notice of Proposed Information 

Collection: Housing Counseling 

Training Program, OMB Control No.: 

2502–0567 

AGENCY: Office of Policy Development 

and Research, Chief Data Officer, HUD. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: HUD is seeking approval from 

the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for the information collection 

described below. In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is 

requesting comment from all interested 

parties on the proposed collection of 

information. The purpose of this notice 

is to allow for an additional 30 days of 

public comment. 

DATES: Comments Due Date: November 

16, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit comments regarding 

this proposal. Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. Find this particular 

information collection by selecting 

‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open 

for Public Comments’’ or by using the 

search function. Interested persons are 

also invited to submit comments 

regarding this proposal and comments 

should refer to the proposal by name 

and/or OMB Control Number and 

should be sent to: Colette Pollard, 

Clearance Officer, REE, Department of 

Housing and Urban Development, 451 

7th Street SW, Room 8210, Washington, 

DC 20410–5000; email 

PaperworkReductionActOffice@

hud.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Colette Pollard, Reports Management 

Officer, REE, Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, 451 7th Street 

SW, Washington, DC 20410; email 

Colette.Pollard@hud.gov; telephone 

202–402–3400. This is not a toll-free 

number. HUD welcomes and is prepared 

to receive calls from individuals who 

are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as 

individuals with speech or 

communication disabilities. To learn 

more about how to make an accessible 

telephone call, please visit: https://

www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ 

telecommunications-relay-service-trs. 

Copies of available documents 

submitted to OMB may be obtained 

from Ms. Pollard. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice informs the public that HUD is 

seeking approval from OMB for the 

information collection described in 

Section A. 

The Federal Register notice that 

solicited public comment on the 

information collection for a period of 60 

days was published on March 17, 2023 

at 88 FR 16457. 

A. Overview of Information Collection 

Title of Information Collection: 

Housing Counseling Training Program. 

OMB Approval Number: 2502–0567. 

OMB Expiration Date: November 30, 

2023. 

Type of Request: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Form Numbers: SF–424; HUD–92910; 

HUD–2880; SF–425. 

Description of the need for the 

information and proposed use: Eligible 

organizations submit information to 

HUD through Grants.gov when applying 

for grant funds to provide housing 

counseling training to housing 

counselors. HUD uses the information 

collected to evaluate applicants 

competitively and then select qualified 

organizations to receive funding that 

supplement their housing counseling 

training program. Post-award collection, 

such as quarterly reports, will allow 

HUD to evaluate grantees’ performance. 

Respondents: Not-for-profit 

institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

42. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 60. 

Frequency of Response: One-time 

application and quarterly reports. 

Average Hours per Response: 28.7. 

Total Estimated Burden: 1,722 hours. 


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