Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of a Computer Matching Program

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-3918-N-14]

Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of a Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

ACTION: Notice of a Computer Matching Program--HUD and the United

States Postal Service (USPA).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as

amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, as

amended, (Public Law 100-503), and the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (54 FR 25818 (June

19, 1989)), and OMB Bulletin 89-22, ``Instructions on Reporting

Computer Matching Programs to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Congress and the Public,'' the Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) is issuing a public notice of its intent to conduct a

recurring computer matching program with the United States Postal

Service (USPS).

EFFECTIVE DATE: Computer matching is expected to begin at least 40 days

from the date this computer matching notice is published, provided no

comments are received which would result in a

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contrary determination. It will be accomplished 18 months from the

beginning date.

Comments Due Date: October 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding

this notice to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General Counsel, Room

10276, 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 PRIVACY ACT INFORMATION FROM SOURCE AGENCY CONTACT: Jeanette Smith,

Departmental Privacy Act Officer, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 4178,

Washington, DC 20410, telephone number (202) 708-2374. (This is not a

toll-free number).

FOR PROGRAM INFORMATION FROM SOURCE AGENCY CONTACT: Debbie Holt, Office

of Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner,

Department of Housing and Urban Development, 470 L'Enfant Plaza, SW,

Room 3115, Washington, DC 20024, telephone number (202) 755-7570. (This

is not a toll-free number).

REPORTING: In accordance with Public Law 100-503, the Computer

Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, as amended, and Office of

Management and Budget Bulletin 89-22, ``Instructions on Reporting

Computer Matching Programs to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Congress and the Public;'' copies of this Notice and a report

are being provided to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Governmental Affairs

of the Senate, and the Office of Management and Budget.

AUTHORITY: The matching program will be conducted pursuant to Pub. L.

100-503, ``The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988,''

as amended, the Federal Debt Collection Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-276),

which authorizes Federal agencies to offset a Federal employee's salary

as a means of satisfying delinquent debts owed to the United States (5

U.S.C. 5514 (a)); 26 CFR 301.6402-6 et seq., Chapter I, Subchapter F--

Procedure and Administration (Tax Refund Regulations issued by Internal

Revenue Service); and 24 CFR part 17, Administrative Claims, subpart C

17.60 and 17.125 through 17.140, Salary Offset Provisions (HUD).

OBJECTIVES TO BE MET BY THE MATCHING PROGRAM: The matching program will

allow HUD to discover the identities and locations of postal employees

who are indebted to the Department and to collect debts owed to the

Federal Government.

RECORDS TO BE MATCHED: HUD will provide extracts from its system of

records entitled HUD/DEPT-2, Accounting Records, last published in the

Federal Register at 59 FR 52985 on October 20, 1994, containing records

of more than 250,000 debtors of the records to be matched. Disclosures

will be made under routine use (i) of that system.

The USPS will provide extracts from its Privacy Act System of

Records USPS 050.020, Finance Records--Payroll System, containing

payroll records for approximately 800,000 current USPS employees.

Disclosure will be made under routine use No. 24 of that system, a full

description of which was last published in 57 FR 57515, dated December

4, 1992.

NOTICE PROCEDURES: HUD will notify individuals at the time of

application (ensuring that routine use appears on the application form)

for guaranteed or direct loans that their records will be matched to

determine whether they are delinquent or in default on a Federal debt.

HUD and USPS will also publish notices concerning routine use

disclosures in the Federal Register to inform individuals that a

computer match may be performed to determine a loan applicant's credit

status with the Federal Government.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS/INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED: The debtor records include

these data elements from HUD's system of records, HUD/Dept-2: SSN,

claim number, program code, and indication of indebtedness. Categories

of records include: Records of claims and defaults, repayment

agreements, credit reports, financial statements, and records of

foreclosures.

Categories of individuals include: former mortgagors and purchasers

of HUD-owned properties manufactured (mobile) home and home improvement

loan debtors who are delinquent or in default on their loans, and

rehabilitation loan debtors who are delinquent or in default on their

loans.

PERIOD OF THE MATCH: Matching will begin at least 40 days from the date

copies of the signed (by both Data Integrity Boards) computer matching

agreement are sent to both Houses of Congress or at least 40 days from

the date this Notice is published in the Federal Register, whichever is

later, providing no comments are received which would result in a

contrary determination. The matching program will be in effect and

continue for 18 months with an option to renew for 12 additional months

unless one of the parties to the agreement advises the other in writing

to terminate or modify the agreement.

Issued at Washington, DC.

Nicolas P. Retsinas,

Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing Commissioner.

Steven M. Yohai,

Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-23283 Filed 9-2-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210-01-M