Justification for Nonsubstantive Change

Request for a Non-Substantive Change to the

U.S. Department of Commerce / U.S. Census Bureau

Report of Building or Zoning Permits Issued

for New Privately-Owned Housing Units (C-404)

OMB Control Number 0607-0094

The Census Bureau uses the Form C-404 to collect data on the number and valuation of new residential housing units authorized by building permits from local governments in the U.S. that issue building permits. The survey is voluntary and the data collected are public information. The current information collection for Form C-404 (OMB Control Number 0607-0094) is approved through 03/31/2013. The Census Bureau’s request for the extension of the approval through that date described plans to provide an option for web-based reporting for all respondents, using the Census Bureau’s “Centurion” Internet reporting system. Development of this system for Form C-404 is well underway and web-based reporting will be offered to respondents in early 2011.

Form C-404 is mailed to about 8,200 places monthly and 10,550 places annually. Because respondents will be able to begin using web-based reporting at any time, each questionnaire mailed to respondents will need to provide information about how to respond via the Internet and to supply the respondent’s unique username and password for the Internet reporting system. Therefore the Census Bureau is requesting minor non-substantive changes to the questionnaire to add this information. No changes are requested to any of the data items on the form, and the information collected on the Internet will be identical to that on the paper questionnaire. Respondents will be informed about the new reporting option in letters enclosed with their questionnaires when the system is rolled out.

The ability to report via Internet is supported by many respondents who have requested this option and has been discussed with a group of the survey’s key data users. The changes will not affect the respondent burden for the survey. The proposed version of the questionnaire to be used when Internet reporting becomes available is shown in Attachment A.

The contact person for questions relating to this collection is Mrs. Erica Filipek, Chief of the Residential Construction Branch in the Census Bureau’s Manufacturing and Construction Division. She can be reached on (301) 763-5161.

Attachments:

A. Proposed updated version of Form C-404, “Report of Building or Zoning Permits Issued for New Privately-Owned Housing Units”