19162 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 73 /Thursday, April 16, 1998 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR–4353–N–01]

Notice Inviting Applications: Second

Round Designation of Fifteen Urban

Empowerment Zones

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Community Planning and

Development, HUD.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications.

SUMMARY: The Taxpayer Relief Act of

1997 authorizes the Secretary to

designate 15 Round II Urban

Empowerment Zones. This Notice

invites applications for designation of

nominated areas as Empowerment

Zones. The designation of the new

Empowerment Zones will be made in

accordance with the designation process

described in this Notice. The new Urban

Empowerment Zones will receive

between $130 million and $230 million

in tax-exempt bond authority to create

economic opportunity for area residents

and businesses.

APPLICATION DUE DATE: Completed

applications (one original and 2 copies)

must be submitted no later than October

9, 1998. See below for specific

procedures governing the form of

application submission (e.g., mailed

application, express mail, overnight

delivery). No facsimile (FAX)

applications will be accepted for

consideration by HUD.

Delivered Applications. Completed

applications (one original and two

copies) must be submitted no later than

5:00 p.m. eastern time, on October 9,

1998. Up until 5:00 p.m. on the deadline

date, completed applications will be

accepted at the address and room

number specified below.

Mailed Applications. Applications

will be considered timely if postmarked

on or before October 9, 1998 and

received by HUD Headquarters on or

before October 19, 1998, at the address

and room number specified below.

Applications Sent by Overnight

Delivery. Overnight delivery items will

be considered filed on time if received

on or before October 9, 1998, or, as long

as the application review process has

not been completed, upon submission of

documentary evidence acceptable to

HUD, in its sole discretion, that they

were placed in transit with the

overnight delivery service on or before

October 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address for submitting

applications. Completed applications

(one original and two copies) should be

submitted to: the Office of Community

Planning and Development, c/o

Processing and Control Unit, Room

7255, Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 7th Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20410, by mail or hand

delivery.

For Application and Other Materials.

For a copy of all EZ Round II

publications, including the Application

Guide, Nomination Forms, the interim

rule (24 CFR part 598, published

elsewhere in this issue of the Federal

Register), and the ‘‘Guidelines for Use of

EZ/EC SSBG Funds’’ (which is also

provided as an appendix to the interim

rule), please call the Community

Connections Information Clearinghouse

at (800) 998–9999. The Round II

publications are also available on the

HUD web site: http://www.hud.gov/

ezeclist.html. Requests for application

materials should be made immediately

to insure sufficient time for application

preparation. Hearing- or speechimpaired persons should use the

Federal Information Relay Service

telephone number, (800) 877–8339, to

obtain application materials.

The Round II publications consist of:

—Round II Interim Rule;

—Application Guide for Empowerment

Zones Round II (Application Guide);

—Nomination Forms for a Federal

Empowerment Zone (Nomination

Forms) (form HUD 40003);

—Strategic Planning Guide;

—Performance Measurement System

Guide;

—Federal Programs Guide;

—IRS Publication 954, ‘‘Tax Incentives

for Empowerment Zones and Other

Distressed Communities.’’

A series of application workshops

will be held in several locations around

the country during the months of April

and May. Information about the

workshops will be disseminated in

several ways, including the HUD web

site, by facsimile, by mail, and by

calling the Community Connections

Information Clearinghouse at (800) 998–

9999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For technical

questions, contact Elaine Braverman,

Empowerment Zone/Enterprise

Community Initiative, Office of

Community Planning and Development,

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW,

Room 7130, Washington, DC 20410,

(202) 708–6339. Hearing- or speechimpaired individuals may call (800)

877–8339 (the Federal Information

Relay Service-TTY).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Summary

A. Purpose and Authority

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (the

Act) authorizes the Secretary to

designate 15 new Urban Empowerment

Zones. The new Urban Empowerment

Zones will receive between $130

million and $230 million in tax-exempt

bond authority to create economic

opportunity for area residents and

businesses. The Act makes several

changes with respect to satisfying

poverty rate criteria. It permits Zones to

identify noncontiguous parcels that are

‘‘developable sites’’ that can be used for

commercial and industrial purposes,

which need not satisfy the poverty rate

and size criteria applicable to other

noncontiguous sites; eliminates the

requirement that some of the tracts have

at least 35 percent poverty; and makes

it slightly more difficult for census

tracts with small populations to meet

the poverty criteria. Alaska and Hawaii

are now eligible for Empowerment Zone

designation and the Act permits Indian

reservations to be included in an area

nominated as an Urban or Rural

Empowerment Zone.

B. Available Resources

The tax benefits that apply to the

Round II EZs are the following: taxexempt bond financing, welfare-to-work

tax credit, work opportunity tax credit,

environmental cleanup cost deduction

(‘‘brownfields’’ tax incentive), and up to

$20,000 of additional section 179

(accelerated depreciation) expensing.

The first round of Empowerment Zone

and Enterprise Community designations

made in 1994 featured grants from the

U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services to States for the designated

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise

Communities. While similar grant funds

have not been authorized for the Round

II EZs, HUD anticipates that funding

may become available for Round II

Urban Empowerment Zones in Fiscal

Year 1999. Should EZ/EC SSBG funds

become available before the application

deadline of October 9, 1998, the

Department will issue a notice of the

amount of such funds available to each

zone. (Note: If the EZ/EC SSBG funds

are made available, an environmental

review for all activities proposed to be

funded with EZ/EC SSBG funds and are

not excluded under 24 CFR 50.19(b)

will be performed, as required by

applicable law.)

C. Uses of Funds

General guidelines concerning uses of

EZ/EC SSBG funds are included in the

Appendix to the Interim rule published

elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 73 /Thursday, April 16, 1998 / Notices 19163

Register and on the Internet at the

following address: http://

aspe.os.dhhs.gov/progsys/

HHSguide.htm. Applicants are

encouraged to review the guidelines and

ensure that all proposed projects to be

financed with the anticipated grant

funds conform to them.

II. Application Preparation

A. Notice of Intent to Participate

Applicants should submit a Notice of

Intent to Participate form as early as

possible. The Notice should be

submitted on the form provided in the

Nomination Forms publication.

Submission of the Notice of Intent to

Participate is not mandatory, but it will

ensure that an applicant receives

updated information. The Notice of

Intent to Participate may be mailed, or

submitted by facsimile (FAX). The

address for submitting the Notice of

Intent to Participate is: U.S. Department

of Housing and Urban Development,

Ms. Elaine Braverman, EZ/EC Team,

Room 7130, 451 Seventh St., SW,

Washington, DC. 20410. The facsimile

number is (202) 401–7615.

B. Application Requirements

1. The application must include an

original and two copies of the items

listed below. To facilitate review, please

submit applications in such a form that

they can be taken apart. Loose leaf

binders are preferable.

2. The application submitted on

behalf of a nominated urban area shall

include:

a. Nomination Form Parts I through

IV, including the required certifications

and written assurances;

b. A strategic plan which meets the

requirements of the Interim rule,

including the content specified in

§ 598.215 of the rule; and

c. 1990 census maps showing:

(i) The boundaries of the local

government(s); and

(ii) The boundaries of the nominated

area, including developable sites, if any.

3. Preferably, the Strategic Plan will

contain no more than 150 pages.

4. The application should contain

only the necessary documentation.

Appendices or additional information

extraneous to evaluation components

will not be reviewed. Examples of such

extraneous information include:

meeting sign-in sheets, and copies of

applications for other funds.

C. Strategic Plan Requirements

The Strategic Plan shall conform to

the requirements set forth in § 598.215

of the Interim rule, and the criteria

stated in this Notice. Requirements set

forth in the interim rule will be used in

the evaluation process.

III. Designation Process

A. General

HUD will accept for processing those

nominations meeting the submission

deadline stated in this Notice, and the

Eligibility Requirements listed in

Subpart B of the Interim Rule.

Nominating procedures are described in

Subpart C of the Interim rule.

B. Exceptions

The Secretary may waive a nonstatutory provision of the Interim Rule

for good cause where it is determined

that the application of the provision

would result in undue hardship to the

applicant.

C. Application Review

A threshold review will be conducted

to ensure the application requirements

in Section II(B) of this Notice are

satisfied, and the applicant meets the

eligibility requirements listed below.

Applications determined eligible will

receive a technical review under the

rating factors described in Section IV of

this Notice. Specific maximum point

scores for each rating factor are listed in

Section IV. Applications will be

evaluated against the rating factors, then

placed in rank order. Evaluation and

ranking of applications will be made

relative to other applications received.

To review and rate applications, the

Department may establish panels

including employees of other Federal

agencies to obtain certain expertise and

outside points of view.

1. Eligibility Requirements

a. To be considered for designation, a

nominated urban area, with the

exception of areas described below in

the Special Rules, must meet all of the

eligibility requirements of § 598.100.

The only sources of census data that

will be used in determining the

eligibility of an area are: the 1990

Decennial Census, and information

published by the Bureau of Census and

the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The

boundary of an urban area nominated

for designation as an Empowerment

Zone must coincide with the boundaries

of census tracts. Census tract means a

census tract as the term is used by the

Bureau of the Census, or, if and only if

census tracts are not defined for the

area, a block numbering area.

b. A nominated urban area, with the

exception of areas described below in

the Special Rules, must demonstrate

poverty, unemployment and general

distress, as described in § 598.110. In

addition, each nominated area must

satisfy the specific poverty rate criteria

in § 598.115.

c. Special Rules.

(i) A nominated area in Alaska or

Hawaii is deemed to satisfy the criteria

of distress, size, and poverty rate

detailed in § 598.100(b), (c), (d), and (f),

and § 598.110 if, for each census tract or

block numbering area within the

nominated area, 20 percent or more of

the families have income that is 50

percent or less of the statewide median

family income (as determined under

section 143 of the Internal Revenue

Code).

(ii) An area within an Indian

reservation (as defined in section

168(j)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code)

may be included in an area nominated

as an Empowerment Zone by State and

local governments. An area completely

within an Indian reservation may be

nominated by the reservation governing

body, and in that case, the area is

treated as if it also were nominated by

a State and a local government. Where

two or more governing bodies have joint

jurisdiction over an Indian reservation,

the nomination of a reservation area

must be a joint nomination.

(iii) Any urban area nominated by an

Economic Development Corporation

chartered by the State in which it is

located or by the District of Columbia

shall be treated as nominated by a State

and a local government.

2. Technical Review

a. General. The technical review will

evaluate the quality of the application

against the following rating factors:

(i) Quality of the Strategic Plan; and

(ii) Quality of the Commitments made

in connection with the Strategic Plan.

The criteria against which HUD will

measure these factors, and the

maximum points that will be awarded

for each factor are described below in

Section IV. An application may receive

up to 100 total points.

b. Corrections to Deficient

Applications. HUD will notify an

applicant in writing, or by FAX, of any

technical deficiencies in the

application, and HUD will maintain a

log of such communications.

The notification will specify the date

by which HUD must receive the

applicant’s correction of all technical

deficiencies, which shall be within 14

calendar days from the date of HUD’s

notification. If the fourteenth day falls

on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the

correction must be received by HUD on

the next business day. The date and

time of receipt of corrections by HUD

shall be determined in the same way as

the receipt of the application.
19164 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 73 /Thursday, April 16, 1998 / Notices

Technical deficiencies relate to items

that:

(i) Are not necessary for HUD review

under the rating factors; and

(ii) Would not improve the

substantive quality of the proposal.

Examples of technical deficiencies

would be a failure to submit proper

certifications or failure to submit an

application containing an original

signature by an authorized official.

If any of the items identified in HUD’s

written notification of technical

deficiencies are not corrected and

submitted within the correction period,

the application will be ineligible for

further consideration.

c. Clarification of Application and

Request for Additional Information. The

Department may contact an applicant to

obtain clarification of the terms of an

applicant’s application. Clarification

may include, for example, a request for

information to ensure HUD

understanding of the terms of an

applicant’s application. In obtaining

clarifying information, the Department

may contact an applicant telephonically

or in person. The Department will

conduct all requests for clarification

from an applicant according to uniform

procedures and will document all

requests.

In addition, the Department reserves

the right to conduct independent site

inspections of proposed EZ/EC sites to

accurately rate and rank an applicant’s

application under the selection criteria

provided in this Notice. Should HUD

decide to conduct site visits, it will visit

sites according to uniform procedures.

The Department will document site visit

findings.

HUD employees involved in the

review of applications and the making

of designation decisions will refrain

from providing advance information to

any person (other than an authorized

employee of HUD) concerning

designation decisions, or from otherwise

giving any applicant an unfair

competitive advantage.

D. Designation Announcements

Designations will be made before

January 1, 1999. The nominated urban

areas designated as Empowerment

Zones will be published in the Federal

Register.

IV. Designation Factors

In choosing among nominated areas

eligible for designation, HUD will

consider the following factors:

• Quality of the Strategic Plan; and

• Quality of the Commitments made

in connection with the Strategic Plan.

The following chart identifies the

points that will be assigned to each

rating factor. The criteria HUD will use

to rate the applications on the factors

follow the chart.

Rating factors Maximum

points

Quality of Strategic Plan (75 points):

1. Vision/Values ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

2. Community Assessment ............................................................................................................................................................... 10

3. Goals ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

4. Implementation Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35

a. Projects/Programs ................................................................................................................................................................. (15)

b. Tax Incentive Utilization Plan ................................................................................................................................................ (10)

c. Governance Plan ................................................................................................................................................................... (7)

d. Community Performance Assessment .................................................................................................................................. (3)

5. Strategic Planning Process Documentation ................................................................................................................................. 15

Quality of Strategic Plan Subtotal ...................................................................................................................................... 75

Quality of Commitments Made in Connection With Strategic Plan (25):

1. Resources Leveraged .................................................................................................................................................................. 10

2. Resource Commitments Documented ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Quality of Commitments Subtotal .............................................................................................................................................. 25

Total Points ........................................................................................................................................................................ 100

A. Quality of the Strategic Plan

(Maximum Points: 75)

The strategic plan must be developed

in accordance with four key principles,

described in § 598.215: strategic vision

for change, community-based

partnerships, economic opportunity,

and sustainable community

development. The elements required in

the strategic plan reflect the key

principles. Innovation and creativity are

encouraged in fulfilling all elements of

the plan.

1. Vision and Values (Maximum Points:

5)

This element is a consensus of what

the community believes its future

should be. The shared vision of the

future should drive the development of

the community’s goals. The shared

values that guided the creation of the

vision should also be described. HUD

will consider the extent to which this

element:

a. States a clear vision for the future;

b. Develops the foundation upon

which the goals are established and

specific projects and programs are

based;

c. Demonstrates collaboration of the

community’s diverse stakeholders in

arriving at its vision and values

statement;

d. Provides an effective vision for the

community’s long-term transformation;

and

e. Exhibits innovation and creativity.

2. Community Assessment (Maximum

Points: 10)

This element describes and assesses

the existing conditions and trends in the

community and the surrounding region.

It examines strengths and assets, as well

as issues and problems. In evaluating

this element, HUD will consider the

extent to which:

a. The analysis of the strengths and

opportunities of the area is balanced

against the area’s needs and problems;

b. A variety of resources have been

identified to address the needs and

problems;

c. The assessment demonstrates a

grasp of the trends that will affect the

community and the surrounding region

over the period of the designation; and
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 73 /Thursday, April 16, 1998 / Notices 19165

d. The analysis includes the

identification of developable sites, as

appropriate, and an assessment of the

opportunities available within these

developable sites.

3. Goals (Maximum Points: 10)

This element describes the

comprehensive set of goals to be

achieved over the 10-year program

period, along with the strategies that

will be used. In evaluating this element,

HUD will consider the extent to which:

a. The goals serve as the framework

for specific strategies;

b. The strategies proposed to achieve

the strategic plan goals have been

effectively described, and demonstrate

the link between the goals and proposed

projects and programs; and

c. The goals are designed to move the

community toward its desired future.

4. Implementation Plan (Maximum

Points: 35)

This element contains a detailed plan

of how the community will implement

its strategic plan. The components of the

Implementation Plan are: Projects and

Programs, Tax Incentive Utilization

Plan, and a Governance Plan. These

components must provide detailed

information for the first 2 years of

designation. However, applicants also

must provide a general description of all

activities that are proposed for the 10-

year designation period and a

description of how all EZ/EC SSBG

funds, if available, will be used.

a. Projects and Programs (maximum

points: 15). This element describes the

specific projects and programs to be

implemented during the first two years

of the designation. Timelines and

budgets must be provided for the 2-year

plan. HUD will evaluate this component

considering the extent to which:

(i) The narrative clearly outlines the

specific projects and programs that will

be implemented, including use of any

developable sites, and demonstrates that

the projects and programs will result in

the achievement of the community’s

goals;

(ii) Proposed timelines for

implementing identified projects and

programs are appropriate for the 2-year

plan;

(iii) The lead implementing entities

are identified;

(iv) Innovative partnerships that

ensure maximum community

participation and project sustainability

are identified;

(v) Proposed budgets are identified for

each project or program, and costs and

sources of funding are realistic;

(vi) Baselines and proposed

measurable outputs are provided; and

(vii) The component exhibits

innovation and creativity.

b. Tax Incentive Utilization Plan

(maximum points: 10). This element

addresses a significant aspect of the EZ

initiative—the use of the business tax

incentives available to designated

Empowerment Zones to support

economic revitalization. If the applicant

includes developable sites, this element

must include a statement of how

developable sites will maximize the use

of tax incentives. In evaluating this

element, HUD will consider the extent

to which the plan:

(i) Provides an effective strategy for

integrating the new business tax

incentives into the nominated area’s

business development efforts. The

Round II business tax incentives

include: Tax-Exempt Bond Financing,

Increased Section 179 Deduction,

Welfare-to-Work Credit, Environmental

Cleanup Cost Deduction (i.e.

‘‘Brownfields Tax Incentive’’), and the

Work Opportunity Tax Credit. For a

description of the tax incentives see IRS

Publication 954, ‘‘Tax Incentives for

Empowerment Zones and Other

Distressed Communities.’’

(ii) Addresses the involvement of all

appropriate segments of the community

and the extent to which their

participation will maximize the use of

the business tax incentives;

(iii) Provides a realistic strategy for

marketing the incentives; and

(iv) Exhibits innovation and

creativity.

c. Governance Plan (Maximum Points:

7). This element describes how the

strategic plan will be implemented.

HUD will evaluate the extent to which:

(i) The proposed lead implementing

entity, has or will have, the legal status

and authority to receive and administer

Federal funds;

(ii) The Governance Plan

demonstrates that both the lead

implementing entity and other key

organizations participating in the

implementation of the strategic plan

have the capacity to implement the

plan;

(iii) The proposed composition of

governance boards, advisory boards,

commissions or similar bodies that will

manage strategic plan implementation is

representative of the EZ area. The

representation of residents and

businesses, and the method of selecting

members of such boards should provide

a clear picture of the use of

partnerships;

(iv) The relationships between the

governance structure created and local

governments, and other major

community or regional organizations,

such as a metropolitan planning

organization, will strengthen the

implementation of the strategic plan;

(v) The Governance Plan includes

methods by which stakeholders within

the Zone will be kept informed about

Zone activities and progress in

implementing the strategic plan,

including an explanation of how the

Governance Board will conduct its

meetings in accordance with applicable

open meetings acts. The community

should utilize modern communication

techniques and incorporate the Internet

in order to enhance the communication

and access to information among all

stakeholders and participants;

(vi) The Governance Plan will ensure

continuing community and grassroots

participation in the implementation of

the strategic plan and the governance of

the Zone’s activities; and

(vii) The plan exhibits innovation and

creativity.

d. Community Performance

Assessment (maximum points: 3). This

element examines the methods the

community will use to assess its own

performance in implementing the

strategic plan, and the process it will

use to continually review the plan and

amend it as appropriate. In evaluating

community performance assessment,

HUD will consider:

(i) The process the applicant will use

to periodically evaluate its performance;

(ii) The process the applicant will use

to modify its strategic plan based on the

results obtained in (i);

(iii) The participation of stakeholders

in (i) and (ii) above.

5. Strategic Planning Process

Documentation (Maximum Points: 15)

This element provides a description

of the process the community used to

select the boundaries of the proposed

Empowerment Zone, including any

developable sites, and the process used

to prepare the strategic plan. In

evaluating this element, HUD will

consider the extent to which the

documentation:

a. Fully explains how the community

participated in choosing the area,

including any developable sites; and

how the area ultimately nominated was

selected over other areas considered;

b. Indicates the specific groups,

organizations, and individuals that

participated in the production of the

plan, describes the history of these

groups in the community, and describes

their role in creating the plan;

c. Explains how participants were

selected and provides evidence that the

participants, taken as a whole, broadly

represent the racial, cultural, gender and

economic diversity of the community;

and
19166 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 73 /Thursday, April 16, 1998 / Notices

d. Identifies two or three topics

addressed in the plan that caused the

most serious disagreements among

participants, and a description of how

those disagreements were resolved.

B. Quality of Commitments Made in

Connection With the Strategic Plan

(Maximum Points: 25)

In § 598.210 of the Interim rule,

nominated areas are required to provide

written assurances that the Strategic

Plan will be implemented. In addition

to the certification, it is essential that

HUD is able to evaluate the breadth and

quality of such commitments.

1. Resources Leveraged (Maximum

Points: 10)

In evaluating this element, HUD will

consider the extent to which the

applicant has leveraged resources, such

as funding and/or in-kind services from

governmental entities, business, faithbased organizations, non-profit

organizations, foundations, educational

institutions, and other entities to

implement the strategic plan.

2. Resource Commitments Documented

(Maximum Points: 15)

The applicant must provide evidence

of public and private sector

commitments by including letters of

commitment, memoranda of

understanding or agreement, or other

documentation indicating the nature of

the participation and the financial and

non-financial resources to be

contributed. The letters or agreements

must be signed by an official of the

organization able to make such

commitments.

V. Period of Designation

The designation period will

commence on the date of designation

and will continue for 10 years, closing

at the end of the 10th calendar year,

except:

1. When the nominating entities have

specified an earlier date; or

2. When the designation is revoked by

the Secretary.

VI. Findings and Certifications

A. Information Collection Requirements

The information collection

requirements contained in this Notice

have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget on an

emergency basis through August 31,

1998 and assigned control number

2506–0148. See the interim rule on

‘‘Empowerment Zones: Rule for Second

Round Designations’’ published

elsewhere in this issue of the Federal

Register for additional information on

this subject, including the opportunity

to comment including information on

the opportunity to comment on the

burden of the information collections.

B. Catalog

The Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Program number assigned to

this program is 14.244.

C. Environmental Impact

A Finding of No Significant Impact

with respect to the environment for this

Notice has been made in accordance

with HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 50,

which implement section 102(2)(C) of

the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969. The Finding of No Significant

Impact is available for public inspection

between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

weekdays in the Office of the Rules

Docket Clerk, Office of the General

Counsel, Department of Housing and

Urban Development, Room 10276, 451

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C.

20410.

D. Federalism, Executive Order 12612

The General Counsel, as the

Designated Official under section 6(a) of

Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has

determined that the policies contained

in this Notice will not have substantial

direct effects on States or their political

subdivisions, or on the relationship

between the Federal Government and

the States, or on the distribution of

power and responsibilities among the

various levels of government. As a

result, the Notice is not subject to

review under the Order.

E. Documentation and Public Access

Policy

(1) Documentation and public access

requirements. HUD will ensure that

documentation and other information

regarding each application submitted

pursuant to this Notice are sufficient to

indicate the basis upon which

assistance was provided or denied. This

material, including any letters of

support, will be made available for

public inspection for a 5-year period

beginning not less than 30 days after the

award of the assistance. Material will be

made available in accordance with the

Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C.

552) and HUD’s implementing

regulations in 24 CFR part 15.

(2) Disclosures. HUD will make

available to the public for 5 years all

applicant disclosure reports (HUD Form

2880) submitted in connection with this

Notice. Update reports (also Form 2880)

will be made available along with the

applicant disclosure reports, but in no

case for a period less than 3 years. All

reports—both applicant disclosures and

updates—will be made available in

accordance with the Freedom of

Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and

HUD’s implementing regulations at 24

CFR part 15.

(3) Ethics Related Questions.

Applicants or employees who have

ethics related questions should contact

the HUD Ethics Law Division at (202)

708–3815. (This is not a toll-free

number.)

Dated: April 10, 1998.

Saul N. Ramirez, Jr.,

Assistant Secretary for Community Planning

and Development.

[FR Doc. 98–10131 Filed 4–14–98; 11:41 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–29–P