30276 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 5, 2001 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR–4685–N–01]

Notice of Request for Comments on

Obstacles to the Participation of FaithBased and Other Community

Organizations

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary; Center

for Faith-Based and Community

Initiatives, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

SUMMARY: This notice invites interested

parties to comment on regulatory,

contracting and other programmatic

obstacles to the participation of faithbased and other community

organizations in HUD’s grant funding

programs.

DATES: Comment Due Date: July 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are

invited to submit comments regarding

this Notice to the Rules Docket Clerk,

Office of General Counsel, Room 10278,

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20410.

Communications should refer to the

above docket number and title. A copy

of each communication submitted will

be available for public inspection and

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

p.m. weekdays at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Loyd LaMois, Center for Faith-Based

and Community Initiatives, Room

10286, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20410–2000.

Telephone number (202) 708–2404. A

telecommunications device (TDD) for

hearing and speech impaired persons is

available at (202) 708–0455. (These are

not toll-free numbers.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive

Order 13198, entitled ‘‘Agency

Responsibilities With Respect to FaithBased and Community Initiatives’’ and

issued on January 29, 2001, requires,

among other actions, certain Executive

Departments, including HUD, to

inventory current programs in order to

identify any existing or perceived

impediments ‘‘to the participation of

faith-based and other community

organizations in the delivery of social

services by the department, including

but not limited to regulations, rules,

orders, procurement, and other internal

policies and practices, and outreach

activities that either facially

discriminate against or otherwise

discourage or disadvantage the

participation of faith-based and other

community organizations in Federal

programs.’’ To assist in carrying out this

action, HUD is requesting comments

that identify specific issues with HUD

programs that in any way discourage or

inhibit participation of faith-based and

community-based groups. Examples

might include burdensome application,

documentation or reporting

requirements, or requirements for a

mandatory organizational structure (e.g.,

501(c)(3) status). HUD will consider the

comments received in conducting its

review to determine whether any

regulations or procedures may

discriminate against religious or local

groups’ participation in HUD programs.

Under this notice, HUD is requesting

that commenters specifically focus on

the following programs:

Community Development Block Grant

HOME

Housing Vouchers, including HOPE VI

HOPE VI Revitalization Grants

Sec. 202 (elderly housing)

Sec. 811 (housing for people with

disabilities)

Continuum of Care, 3 programs

Supportive Housing

Shelter Plus Care

Sec. 8 Mod. Rehab (SRO)

Housing for Persons Living with AIDS

(HOPWA)

Family Self-Sufficiency

Single-family programs entailing HUD

approval of nonprofits

Housing counseling

HUD homes (REO disposition)

203 mortgage insurance program

YouthBuild

For each of these funding programs,

HUD especially wants comments to

address the following questions:

1. Are there restrictive conditions that

constrict the participation of faith-based

and community-based organizations?

2. How are restrictions manifested or

applied (specifically identify the

provision which you believe creates the

restrictive condition and explain how it

prevents participation by Faith-Based

and community-based organizations.

Also if possible give a specific example):

a. In Departmental regulations;

b. In the eligibility criteria in Notices

of Funding Availability (NOFAs);

c. In Requests for Proposals (RFPs);

d. In grant monitoring;

e. In guidance the Department gives

its State and local government partners;

f. In contract or grant manuals; and

g. In guidance to grant managers?

3. Are any information collection,

submission or monitoring requirements

duplicative or unduly burdensome?

In addition, HUD requests that

commenters identify any positive

program practices or procedures that

presently facilitate, or that would

increase, the participation of faith-based

and other community organizations.

Comments not covered by the above

specific interest areas are welcome.

HUD seeks specific information, e.g.,

the name of the program, the form, etc.,

where the impediment or the positive

practice is found. It will also be helpful

if respondents indicate whether they

have ever applied (successfully or

unsuccessfully) for the program, or

otherwise been involved with the

program(s).

For comments on the CDBG or HOME

programs and the Continuum of Care

process, it will help if the comment

identifies the jurisdiction that

administered the program, i.e., the

relevant State, county or municipal

government.

HUD also requests that the comments

provide the name, size, and location of

the nonprofit, faith-based, or other

organization submitting the comments,

and identify a contact person to permit

HUD to follow-up on the concerns and

issues raised.

Dated: May 29, 2001.

Robin McDonald,

Director, Center for Faith-Based and

Community Initiatives.

[FR Doc. 01–14021 Filed 6–4–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–32–P