2502-0619 - Supporting Statement (4-6-22)

Supporting Statement for

COVID-19 Supplemental Payment Requests

OMB Control Number: 2502-0619

Form number: HUD-52671-E

A. Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information. Include a statement regarding the changes for this submission. (Example: The changes for this submittal is as follows or the difference between this submission and the last is as follows....)

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (Pub. L. 116-136, approved March 27, 2020) provides an additional $1 billion under the heading Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) for Section 8 properties, $50 million under the heading Housing for the Elderly (Section 202), and $15 million under the heading Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including to provide additional funds to maintain normal operations and take other necessary actions during the period that the program is impacted by coronavirus.” A portion of these appropriations are being provided via a special payment process that supplements amounts currently provided under existing Section 8, Section 202, and Section 811 rental assistance contracts administered by the Office of Multifamily Housing. To facilitate provision of funds, HUD created a new form in 2020 in the rental assistance payment voucher series, labeled HUD Form 52671-E, which HUD expects to reissue in 2022 with minor updates to reflect additional funding periods and other Housing Notice cross-references. Owners must submit the form to be considered for a COVID-19 Supplemental Payment.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

The form will be completed by property owners who wish to request a COVID-19 Supplemental Payment (CSP) in conjunction with their project-based rental assistance contract with HUD. Dependent on the dollar amount and scope of the CSP request, a respondent may be required to submit supporting documentation to establish eligibility of the expenditures listed in the HUD 52671-E, including later certification by the property owner that capital equipment purchases have been installed.

Through three completed CSP application windows (covered by the prior collection approval), HUD has used the form to receive and nearly 14,400 payment requests under a prior emergency collection approval. Data from the extended collection will be used by HUD and contract administrators to collect and consider further owner requests for funding in 2022 and 2023.

To simply the process for owners when preparing a request and minimize manual entry errors, certain information and data fields in the form must be updated from time-to-time. Dates in certification statements, CSP Operating Period dates, and cross-references to guidance in the most recent Housing Notice may be modified for each round of funding. No change in burden hours for individual owners is expected as a result of these changes. HUD will send emails and where appropriate, use DocuSign, to complete any necessary follow-up with owners on their HUD 52671-E submissions. DocuSign communications may include check-boxes and short answer fields allowing an owner to provide delayed certification of project completion and submit other information on property expenditures that is required for HUD to complete processing of their CSP request. Given necessary customization with property-specific information and required initiation by HUD staff, a standard HUD form is not being established for these DocuSign communications.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other, forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

HUD Form 52671-E is a fillable PDF form that will allow HUD and contract administrators to export data for program management and monitoring. Owner submission of the form and related documentation via email is currently required given COVID-19 related constraints on access to standard mail at offices. Digital signatures are encouraged where consistent with Notice H-2020-10. In instances where a respondent is not able to certify completed installation of capital equipment purchases at the time they submit the HUD 52671-E, HUD will use DocuSign as a vehicle for owners to follow-up submission of their CSP request form with a certification of completion and submit other related documentation. The use of DocuSign provides a more efficient method for the owner to complete the delayed certification and submit additional documentation relative to the alternatives.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

This information is not collected and/or available from other sources.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods used to minimize burden.

The collection of this information will not impact small businesses or other small entities

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Without the form covered by this collection, HUD will be unable to distribute CARES Act appropriations as Congress intended.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

* requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;

There is no requirement for respondents to report information more than quarterly.

* requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

Owners will be asked to complete the form less than 30 days after it is issued, but submission is only necessary if they wish to receive a COVID-19 Supplemental Payment. The relatively short response time is necessary in order to rapidly provide funds to owners facing financial hardships.

* requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;

There is no requirement for respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document. Given current remote work environments resulting from COVID-19, all submissions will be electronic via email.

* requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records, for more than three years;

There is no requirement for respondents to retain records other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years.

* in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

There are no statistical surveys involved with this collection.

* requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

There is no requirement for the use of statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB.

* that includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or

There is no pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use.

* requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secrets, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

There is no requirement for respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years - even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

The agency’s notice announcing this collection of information appeared in the Federal Register on August 30, 2021, (Volume 86, No 165, Page 48438).

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

There will be no payments or gifts to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

No assurances of confidentiality are provided.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:
Estimates of the Hour burden of the Collection of Information
Information Collection	Number of Respondents*	Frequency of Response*	Responses Per Year	Average Burden Hours Per Response	Annual Burden Hours	Hourly Cost per Response	Total Annual Cost
HUD-52671-E	23,200	1	23,200	1	23,200	$26.14	$606,448
Supplemental Certification (DocuSign)	23,200	1	23,200	.1	2,320	$26.14	$60,645
TOTALS	23,200		46,400		25,520		$667,093

* Respondent and frequency of response estimates updated to reflect the universe of potential applicants who may utilize the revised form.

** Estimated hourly costs are based on respondent’s staff hours to gather documents, and national average hourly cost for account managers as reported by Payscale.com.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14).

* The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life) and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component. The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred. Capital and start-up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and record storage facilities.

* If cost estimates are expected to vary widely, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of purchasing or contracting out information collections services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60-day pre-OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory impact analysis associated with the rulemaking containing the information collection, as appropriate.

* Generally, estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services, or portions thereof, made: (1) prior to October 1, 1995, (2) to achieve regulatory compliance with requirements not associated with the information collection, (3) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the government, or (4) as part of customary and usual business or private practices.

There are no additional capital or startup costs associated with this collection of information.

14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies may also aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 in a single table.
Information Collection	Number of Respondents	Frequency of Response	Responses Per Year	Burden Hours Per Response	Annual Burden Hours	Hourly Cost per Response	Total Annual Cost*
HUD-56271-E	23,200	1	23,200	3	69,600	$48.78	$3,395,088

* Hourly cost based on a GS-12 Account Executive, Step 5 or equivalent contract administrator charged with reviewing the forms. Includes form intake, review, and payment processing. Encompasses review of all supporting documentation submitted in conjunction with the HUD 52671-E.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I.

Revision of a currently approved collection with changes. Totals continue to reflect the maximum universe of respondents. As participation is optional and subject to conditions, the actual number of respondents may be substantially lower. A DocuSign file has been developed to allow owners to efficiently submit certifications or to request extended time for installation by an expected due date of April 6, 2022.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The results of this information collection will not be published.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

The expiration date will be displayed on the HUD forms associated with this information collection.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19, "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions," of OMB Form 83-I.

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

Section B is not appliable to this collection.

The agency should be prepared to justify its decision not to use statistical methods in any case where such methods might reduce burden or improve accuracy of results. When Item 17 on the Form OMB 83-I is checked, "Yes," the following documentation should be included in the Supporting Statement to the extend that it applies to the methods proposed:

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

* Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection,

* Estimation procedure,

* Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification,

* Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and

* Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of test may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

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