# 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: The Rent Reform Demonstration
**AGENCY:**
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, HUD.
**ACTION:**
Notice.
**SUMMARY:**
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.
**DATES:**
*Comments Due Date:* February 16, 2021.
**ADDRESSES:**
Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: Anna P. Guido, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone 202-402-5534 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at *[email protected]* for a copy of the proposed forms or other available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Anna P. Guido, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410; email Anna P. Guido at *[email protected]* or telephone 202-402-5535. This is not a toll-free number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Guido.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.
**A. Overview of Information Collection**
*Title of Information Collection:* The Rent Reform Demonstration: 6-Year Long-Term Follow-Up.
*OMB Approval Number:* 2528-0306.
*Type of Request* ( *i.e., new, revision or extension of currently approved collection):* Revision or extension of currently approved collection.
*Form Number:* N/A.
*Description of the need for the information and proposed use:* The Department is conducting this study under contract with MDRC and its subcontractors (The Bronner Group, Quadel Consulting Corporation, and the Urban Institute). The project is a random assignment trial of an alternative rent system. Families are randomly assigned to participate either in the new/alternative rent system or to continue in the current system. For voucher holders, outcomes of the alternative system are hypothesized to be increases in earnings, employment, and job retention among others. Random assignment will limit the extent to which selection bias drives observed results. The evaluation will document the progress of a group of housing voucher holders, who will be drawn from current residents, and the impact of the alternative rent system on the families as well as the administrative burden on Public Housing Agencies (PHAs). Three PHAs continue to participate in the long-term evaluation:
(1) Lexington Housing Authority (LHA), Lexington, Kentucky;
(2) Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA), Louisville, Kentucky;
(3) San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA), San Antonio, Texas; and
Data collection efforts include the families that are part of the treatment and control groups, as well as PHA staff. Data will be gathered through a variety of methods including informational interviews and discussions, direct observation, and analysis of administrative records. The work covered under this information request is for data collection proposed for the 6-year follow-up phase of the Rent Reform Demonstration.
*Respondents:* Public housing agency administrators/staff managing or implementing the new rent policy and participants enrolled in the HUD Rent Reform Demonstration.
*Estimated Number of Respondents:*
• *Public Housing Authority Staff:* A maximum of 33.
• *Families with housing vouchers participating in the Rent Reform Demonstration:* A maximum of 60.
*Estimated Time per Response:* 90 to 120 minutes, depending on the interview.
*Frequency of Response:* 1 interview.
*Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:* 144 hours.
*Estimated Total Annual Cost:* $2,125.62
*Respondent's Obligation:* Voluntary.
*Legal Authority:* The data collection is conducted under Title 12, United States Code, Section.
| Information collection | Number of | Frequency of response | Responses | Burden | Annual | Hourly | Cost |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Study Participant Interviews and/or Focus Groups | 60 | 1 | 60 | 1.5 | 90 | $7.25 | $652.50 |
| PHA Staff Interviews | 24 | 1 | 24 | 1.5 | 36 | 26.67 | 960.12 |
| Cost Study Data Collection Activities with PHA staff | 9 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 28.50 | 513.00 |
| Total | 93 | | | | 144 | | 2,125.62 |
| Occupation | SOC code | Median hourly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Community and Social Service Specialist | 21-1099 | $21.05 |
| Social/community Service Manager | 11-9151 | 32.28 |
1701z and Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44, U.S.C., 35, as amended.
**B. Solicitation of Public Comment**
This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following:
(1) 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) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and
(4) Ways to 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. HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to these questions.
**C. Authority**
Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
The General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, Todd M. Richardson, having reviewed and approved this document, is delegating the authority to electronically sign this document to submitter, Nacheshia Foxx, who is the *Federal Register* Liaison for HUD, for purposes of publication in the *Federal Register* .
Nacheshia Foxx,
Federal Register Liaison for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.