[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 237 (Monday, December 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73493-73494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29791]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5609-N-13]
Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request Family
Self-Sufficiency Program Demonstration
AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described
below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department
is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.
DATES: Comments Due Date: February 8, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and should
be sent to: Reports Liaison Officer, Office of Policy Development and
Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh
Street SW., Room 8230, Washington, DC 20410.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Stoloff, Department of
Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and
Research, 451 7th Street SW., Room 8120, Washington, DC 20410;
telephone (202) 402-5723, (this is not a toll free number). Copies of
the proposed data collection instruments and other available documents
may be obtained from Dr. Stoloff.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department will submit the proposed
information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended). This notice
is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected agencies
concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) Evaluate
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including if the
information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of
the agency's estimate of the burden of proposed collection of
information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission
of responses.
This notice also lists the following information:
Title of Proposal: Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program
Demonstration
Description of the need for information and proposed use: The
Department is conducting this study under contract with MDRC and its
subcontractors (Branch Associates and M. Davis and Company, Inc.). The
project is an evaluation of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program
operated at Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the U.S. The study
will use random-assignment methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the
program. FSS has operated since 1992 and serves voucher holders and
residents of public housing. The FSS model is essentially case
management plus an escrow account. FSS case managers create a plan with
families to achieve goals and connect with services that will enhance
their employment opportunities. Families accrue money in their escrow
accounts as they increase their earnings. To date, HUD has funded two
other studies of the FSS program, but neither can tell us how well
families would have done in the absence of the program. A random
assignment model is needed because participant self-selection into FSS
limits the ability to know whether program features rather than the
characteristics of the participating families caused tenant income
gains. Random assignment will limit the extent to which selection bias
is driving observed results. The demonstration will document the
progress of a group of FSS participants from initial enrollment to
program completion (or exit). The intent is to gain a deeper
understanding of the program and illustrate strategies that assist
participants to obtain greater economic independence. While the main
objective of FSS is stable, suitable employment, there are many interim
outcomes of interest, which include: Getting a first job; getting a
higher paying job; self-employment/small business ownership; no longer
needing benefits provided under one or more welfare programs; obtaining
additional education, whether in the form of a high school diploma,
higher education degree, or vocational training; buying a home; buying
a car; setting up savings accounts; or accomplishing similar goals that
lead to economic independence.
Data collection will include the families that are part of the
treatment and control groups, as well as PHA staff. Data will be
gathered through a variety of methods including surveys, informational
interviews, direct observation, and analysis of administrative records.
Members of the affected public:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHA Staff........................ Approximately 72 (i.e., assuming up
to 4 staff at up to 18 PHAs).
Families receiving subsidized Up to 1,500.
housing and enrolled in the FSS
program (treatment group).
Families receiving subsidized Up to 1,500.
housing and not enrolled in the
FSS program (control group).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the
information collection including number of respondents, frequency of
response, and hours of response:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number responses Average burden/response
Instrument Number of respondents per respondent (in hours) Total burden hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Informed Consent Form (ICF)\1\....... 3,000................... 1 Up to 15 minutes (or .25 750 hours.
hours).
[[Page 73494]]
Baseline Information Form (includes 3,000................... 1 30 minutes, on average 2,250 hours.
completion of the Contact Sheet). (or .50 hours).
Approximately 45
minutes (or .75 hours)
for larger households.
Tracking survey sample............... 3,000................... 1 Maximum of 1 hour over 3,000 hours.
the tracking period,
mainly to update
contact information.
Implementation research (round 1 20 per PHA (or 20 * 18 1 Field research visits 252 hours or
projected to occur in Year 3). sites). will last two days. 14 hours (or 2 days) per site visit * 18
Meetings could include: FSS Meetings to run 30 to sites.
coordinator; FSS case management 60 minutes, depending
staff; lead manager to whom the FSS on the group of
coordinator reports; representatives participants.
of 4 key partner agencies; FSS
participants.
Cost-Benefit analysis data collection 6 per PHA (or 6 * 18 1 Site visits will last 1 126 hours or 7 hours (or 1 day) per site
meetings with: FSS MIS/data analyst; sites). day. Meetings to run 30 visit * 18 sites.
FSS coordinator; FSS case management to 60 minutes,
staff; lead manager to whom the FSS depending on the group
coordinator reports. of participants.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ We assume that the Informed Consent Form (ICF) will include language to enable us to collect administrative records from the designated state agency
where the PHA is located. Therefore, the time to obtain this consent is included in the estimate to complete the ICF. Upon selection of sites, MDRC
will contact the corresponding state agencies to initiate legal agreements to obtain these records, including the approved language to incorporate
into the ICF.
Total 6,378 hours.
Status of the proposed information collection: Pending OMB
approval.
Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 9(a), and Title 12, U.S.C.,
Section 1701z-1 et seq.
Dated: December 3, 2012.
Erika C. Poethig,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 2012-29791 Filed 12-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P