On March 11, 2021, the President
signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”), Pub. L.
No. 117-2. Title III, Subtitle B, Section 3201of the Act provides
$21.55 billion for the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury)
to make payments to States (defined to include the District of
Columbia), U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands,
Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa), and certain
local governments with more than 200,000 residents (collectively
the “eligible grantees”) to provide financial assistance and
housing stability services to eligible households, and cover the
costs for other affordable rental housing and eviction prevention
activities for eligible households. Section 3201(d)(1) requires the
eligible grantees to use the funds to provide financial assistance
and housing stability services to eligible households, and cover
costs for other affordable rental housing and eviction prevention
activities for eligible households. Section 3201(c)(1) provides
that not later than 60 days after March 11, 2021, the Secretary
shall pay each eligible grantee not less than 40% of each grantee’s
total allocation. Treasury intends to begin making payments as soon
as possible given the urgent need for the funds being
disbursed.
Pursuant to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) procedures established at 5 C.F.R. §
1320.13, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) requests
emergency processing for an Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA2)
program information collection request, revising OMB Control Number
1505-0270. On March 11, 2021, the President signed the American
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (the “Act”), Pub. L. No. 117-2. Title III,
Subtitle B, Section 3201 of the Act provides $21.55 billion for the
Department of the Treasury (Treasury) to make payments to States
(defined to include the District of Columbia), U.S. Territories
(Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands,
and American Samoa), and certain local governments with more than
200,000 residents (collectively the “eligible grantees”) to provide
financial assistance and housing stability services to eligible
households and cover the costs for other affordable rental housing
and eviction prevention activities for eligible households. Section
3201(c) directed Treasury to distribute funds in increments, and
eligible grantees can request additional funds as needed. Treasury
is seeking approval for the ERA 2 additional funds request form to
streamline the process by which eligible grantees can request their
remaining funds. This information collection is vitally important
for Treasury to distribute each eligible grantee’s remaining
allocation. Certain eligible grantees have exhausted, or will soon
exhaust, their initial payments. Due to the need for eligible
grantees to request their allocated funds from Treasury
expeditiously and avoid disruptions in the delivery of assistance
to eligible households, Treasury requests emergency processing and
approval of the ERA 2 additional funds request form by August 17,
2021. Given the inability to seek public comment during such a
short timeframe, Treasury requests a waiver from the requirement to
publish notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment.
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.