The information is required to allow HUD to award and obligate grant funds in accordance with the FY 2010 HUD Appropriations Act, which permits HUD to use up to $65M of the HOPE VI appropriation for a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2010 (part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Public Law 111-117, enacted on December 16, 2009) permits the HUD Secretary to use up to $65,000,000 of the HOPE VI appropriations for a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative demonstration. Thus, except as otherwise specified in the Appropriations Act, the HOPE VI program requirements and selection criteria will apply to Choice Neighborhoods grants for FY 2010. This new Congressional mandate has required the Department to develop a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and application forms in order to competitively award Choice Neighborhoods grants to eligible applicants. The use of the normal clearance procedures is likely to prevent or disrupt the collection of information and is reasonably likely to cause the agency to miss a statutory deadline.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.