Emergency Letter

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

WASHINGTON, DC 20410-8000

OFFICE OF HOUSING

Ross A. Rutledge

OMB Desk Officer

Office of Management and Budget

New Executive Office Building

Washington, DC 20503

Dear Mr. Rutledge:

The Department is seeking emergency review of the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program. The Notice of Paperwork Submission (copy enclosed), proposed for immediate Federal Register publication, explains the burden of the collection requirements and invites public comments on them. This is a revision of a currently approved information collection.

In compliance with the requirements of 5 CFR 1320.13, this letter requests emergency processing within 7 days from the date of publication. This emergency processing is essential for the immediate implementation of the FHA Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program, which HUD was directed to establish by Congress in the in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010.

The emergency review is necessary to enable HUD to require that lenders chosen to participate in the pilot program will be required to enter into a pilot program agreement with HUD, to report to HUD on their use of incentive payments funds. This solicitation is essential to HUD’s monitoring of lender’s use of incentive payments funds. Emergency approval is consistent with Congressional intent to encourage development of an energy efficient mortgage program during a time in which credit for energy improvements is unavailable due to the credit crisis and the lack of a secondary market. The emergency review will enable HUD to make funding for energy improvements available to homeowners as quickly as possible. The pilot program is of limited duration, which supports the need for prompt implementation of the program.

Thank you for your consideration and assistance.

Sincerely,

Ronald Y. Spraker,

Associate General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing

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