[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 143 (Monday, July 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 40131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19914]



[[Page 40131]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4352-N-06]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for emergency review and approval, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comment on the 
subject proposal.

DATES: The due date for comments is: July 31, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Joseph F. Lackey, Jr., HUD Desk 
Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Wayne Eddins, Reports Management Officer, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410, 
telephone (202) 708-1305. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of 
available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Mr. Eddins.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice informs the public that the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has submitted to OMB 
an information collection package with respect to a Notice announcing 
the Title VI Loan Guarantee Demonstration Program and a Notice of 
Funding Availability for Title VI Loan Guarantee Capacity-Building 
Grants. This information collection package submission to OMB for 
review is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35).

    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, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    The Department has submitted the proposal for the collection of 
information to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). The Department has requested emergency 
clearance of the collection of information, as described below, with 
approval being sought by July 27, 1998.
    Title of Proposals: Notice of Title VI Loan Guarantee Demonstration 
Program; Notice of Funding Availability for Title VI Loan Guarantee 
Capacity-Building Grants.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use:  The 
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and 
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (FY 1998 
HUD Appropriations Act) provided a $5 million appropriation for the 
funding of a demonstration program which would guarantee up to $45 
million in loan guarantees pursuant to Title VI of the Native American 
Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA), which 
provides the authority to operate a loan guarantee program to fund 
certain eligible tribal housing activities. Through the demonstration 
program, HUD is seeking to develop models which will provide innovative 
ways to enhance economic growth, increase access to private capital, 
and encourage the investment and participation of traditional financial 
institutions on Indian reservations and other Native American areas. 
Indian tribes and tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE) are 
encouraged to form partnerships with investors or financial 
institutions and submit model Title VI demonstration projects to be 
evaluated in accordance with the criteria contained in the Notice.
    The FY 1998 HUD Appropriations Act also provided $25 million for a 
rural housing and economic development initiative to test comprehensive 
approaches to developing job bases through economic development, 
developing affordable low- and moderate-income rental and home 
ownership housing, and increasing the investment of both private and 
nonprofit capital. Grants are authorized, in amounts not to exceed $4 
million each, to rural and tribal areas.
    The Department has determined that $4 million will be allocated 
under a Notice of Funding Availability for Title VI Loan Guarantee 
Capacity-Building Grants to assist organizations providing capacity-
building technical assistance to Indian tribes or TDHEs that have been 
granted a Title VI loan guarantee under the Title VI Demonstration 
Program.
    Members of affected public: Up to 20 Indian tribes or TDHEs, and 
approximately 10 technical assistance providers, are expected to apply 
under the Notice and the NOFA.
    Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of 
response, and hours of response: Tribes/TDHEs will be able to apply for 
Title VI loan guarantees at any time until all funds have been 
obligated. Since this is the first year of operation for the Title VI 
Program, it is essential that the technical assistance to be provided 
under the NOFA be in place as the loan guarantee applications are being 
developed to ensure that the new program is successful. The average 
amount of time to put together a loan guarantee package is likely to 
be, on average, 60 hours for the 20 tribes/TDHEs. We anticipate that 
not more than 10 technical assistance provide will apply under the 
NOFA, with an average application completion time of 40 hours each. In 
total, the Department expects this request will have an annual 
reporting burden of 1,600 hours.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB 
approved.

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

    Dated: July 20, 1998.
David S. Cristy,
Director, IRM Policy and Management Division.
[FR Doc. 98-19914 Filed 7-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-33-M