Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4442-N-03]

Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and

Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described

below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

for expedited review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The

Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES: Comments due: March 24, 1999.

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: Reports Liaison Officer, Office

of Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 8226, Washington, DC 20410.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joan Kraft, Office of Policy

Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development,

451 7th St., SW, Room 8154, Washington, D.C. 20410--telephone (202)

708-4504, Extension 5734 (this is not a toll-free number). Copies of

the proposed forms and other available documents to be submitted to OMB

may be obtained from Ms. Kraft.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department will submit the proposed

information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended).

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.

[[Page 8587]]

The notice also lists the following information:

Title of Proposal: Extension of Canvass of Moving to Opportunity

Families (OMB Clearance Number 2528-0189, Expires 4/99).

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The

information is being collected to continue this research demonstration

and to fulfill the reporting requirements originally set by Congress,

including the number of families served, short- and long-term effects

of MTO program participation on families, cost comparison to regular

Section 8 operations, and information on the types of counseling

services provided. The forms are currently in use under OMB clearance

number 2528-0189, expiration date April 1999. This request is for an

extension of clearance, which is necessary to continue maintenance of

the longitudinal panel for MTO, which is a 10-year research

demonstration.

This data collection is being done to assist the Department in

maintaining information on the demonstration population and in

minimizing panel attrition, in order to examine the long-term effects

of providing assistance to low-income families living in assisted

housing to move out of the high poverty areas of central cities.

Members of affected public: Respondents for this continued data

collection effort are families and their members who enrolled in the

Moving to Opportunity Demonstration between July 1994 and July 1998. A

total of 4,610 families enrolled in MTO during that period; it is

estimated that 1,200 individuals will have left these families by the

time of the 1999 canvass.

Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the

information collection including number of respondents, frequency of

response, and hours of response:

We estimate 4,610 family respondents and up to 3,700 individual

respondents (departed members of MTO households). See Exhibit 1 for

details. The total burden through April 1999 (current approval period)

was 756 hours. As proposed for the future, it will range from 1,099

hours in 1999 to 2,131 hours in 2002. However, a sampling approach to

use of the long form may be taken in 2002 and would reduce the

respondent burden for the last year.

Actual Respondent Burden Through April 1999

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First canvass

of MTO

families July-

December 1997

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Original Random Assignment Ratio........................ 1,979

Other Enrolled Families................................. 904

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Total Sample........................................ 2,883

Actual Response Rate.................................... 91%

Sample by Form Type:

Long Form........................................... 1,979

Short Form.......................................... 904

Response Burden in Hours:

Long Form @ 19 minutes per interview................ 572.2

Short Form @ 13 minutes per interview............... 183.7

Total Response Burden in Hours.................. 755.9

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Estimated Future Respondent Burden: MTO Canvass

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1999 MTO 2001 MTO 2002 MTO

canvass canvass canvass

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Total Enrolled Families......................................... a 4,610 4,610 4,610

Total Departed Members.......................................... b 1,321 2,947 3,685

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Total Sample................................................ 5,931 7,557 8,295

Expected Response Rate:

Families.................................................... 90% 90% 90%

Members..................................................... 70% 70% 70%

Sample by Form Type:

Long Form................................................... 0 0 c 8,295

Short Form.................................................. 5,931 7,557 0

Response Burden in Hours:

Long Form @ 19 minutes per interview........................ 0 0 2,131

Short Form @ 13 minutes per interview....................... 1,099 1,346 0

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a Full MTO program population.

b The number of departed members is estimated based on data from 1997 canvass. Departed members are cumulative

across years.

c With OMB approval the long form will be adapted for the members as well.

Status of the proposed information collection: Ongoing under

existing approval through April 1999, and continued pending extended

OMB approval through December 2002.

Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

Dated: February 5, 1999.

Lawrence L. Thompson,

General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.

[FR Doc. 99-4282 Filed 2-19-99; 8:45 am]

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