[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6617-6619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02193]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5770-N-01]
Request for Comment on the 2015 American Housing Survey
Metropolitan Samples
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and
Research, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intent of the Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct the American Housing Survey
(AHS) for 2015 with a new national sample and up to 30 metropolitan
area samples. As part of the planning for the 2015 AHS, HUD is
soliciting public comments regarding which metropolitan areas should be
sampled. HUD is interested in all comments, especially from government
policymakers, academic researchers, and AHS data users that specify:
(1) Which metropolitan areas are important from a housing policy
perspective; (2) which metropolitan areas are important from a housing
program perspective, including, but not limited to, low-income and
assisted housing programs; and (3) which metropolitan areas are
important for other demographic or socioeconomic reasons. HUD
encourages those persons interested in commenting to consider these
three questions when suggesting metropolitan areas to be sampled for
2015.
DATES: Comments Due Date: April 7, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding
this proposal. Comments must refer to the above docket number and
title. There are two methods for submitting public comments:
1. Submission of Comments by Mail. Comments may be submitted by
mail to Shawn Bucholtz, Director, Housing and Demographic Analysis
Division, Office of Policy Development and Research, Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th St. SW., Room 8222, Washington,
DC 20410. Due to security measures at all federal agencies, however,
submission of comments by mail often results in delayed delivery. To
ensure timely receipt of comments, HUD recommends that comments
submitted by mail be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the
public comment deadline.
2. Electronic Submission of Comments. Interested persons may submit
comments electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
http://www.regulations.gov. HUD strongly encourages commenters to
submit comments electronically. Electronic submission of comments
allows the commenter maximum time to prepare and submit a comment,
ensures timely receipt by HUD, and enables HUD to make them immediately
available to the public. Comments submitted electronically through the
www.regulations.gov Web site can be viewed by other commenters and
interested members of the public. Commenters should follow the
instructions provided on that site to submit comments electronically.
Note: To receive consideration as public comments, comments
must be submitted through one of the two methods specified above.
Again, all submissions must refer to the docket number.
No Facsimile Comments. Facsimile (FAX) comments are not acceptable.
Public Inspection of Public Comments: All properly submitted
comments and communications submitted to HUD will be available for
public inspection and copying between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at the
above address. Due to security measures at the HUD Headquarters
building, an advance appointment to review the public comments must be
scheduled by calling the Regulations Division at 202-708-3055 (this is
not a toll-free number). Individuals with speech or hearing impairments
may access this number through TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service
at 800-877-8339. Copies of all comments submitted are available for
inspection and downloading at http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shawn Bucholtz, Director, Housing and
Demographic Analysis Division, Office of Policy, Development and
Research, 451 7th Street SW., Room 8222, Washington, DC 20410-0500,
telephone number 202-402-5538 (this is not a toll-free number).
Hearing- or speech-impaired individuals may access this number via TTY
by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at telephone number 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
The American Housing Survey (AHS) provides a periodic measure of
the size and composition of the country's housing inventory and
provides valuable information about housing costs and housing quality.
HUD provides all funding and oversight for the AHS. Through an
interagency agreement, the Census Bureau provides operational
management and field data collection for the survey.
[[Page 6618]]
The current AHS collects data on subjects such as the amount and
types of changes in the housing stock, the physical condition of the
housing stock, the characteristics of the occupants, housing costs, the
persons eligible for and beneficiaries of assisted housing, and the
number and characteristics of vacant units.
HUD needs AHS data to monitor the interaction among housing needs,
demand and supply, as well as changes in housing conditions and costs,
to aid in the development of housing policies and the design of housing
programs appropriate for different target groups, such as first-time
home buyers and the elderly. AHS data allow HUD to evaluate, monitor,
and design HUD programs to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Policy
analysts, program managers, budget analysts, and Congressional staff
use AHS data to advise executive and legislative branches about housing
conditions and the suitability of public policy initiatives. Academic
researchers and private organizations also use AHS data in efforts of
specific interest and concern to their respective communities.
B. AHS Sample Design
The AHS is composed of a national longitudinal sample, which is
surveyed every two years, and metropolitan longitudinal samples, which
have been surveyed at irregular intervals. The current national
longitudinal sample was drawn in 1985, with additions and subtractions
to account for new construction, demolitions and conversions. The
national longitudinal sample is designed to be representative of the
nation's housing stock.
The metropolitan longitudinal samples are designed to be
representative of the housing stock within a specific metropolitan
area. The metropolitan longitudinal samples (55) were drawn at various
points in time between 1974 and 2013. The 2013 AHS was the final survey
administered to the current national and metropolitan longitudinal
samples. HUD will draw a new national longitudinal sample and
individual metropolitan longitudinal samples for 2015 and beyond.
C. AHS Metropolitan Longitudinal Sample History
The current goal of the AHS is to survey each of the largest 60
metropolitan areas once every four years. However, due to budgetary
reductions, this goal has not been achieved since the late 1970s. The
most recent surveys, the 2011 AHS and the 2013 AHS, have benefited from
increased funding, which has enabled HUD to nearly achieve its
metropolitan area sample goal. The 2011 AHS included 29 metropolitan
area samples, and the 2013 AHS included 25 metropolitan area samples.
Table 1 summarizes the metropolitan area samples in the 2011 AHS. Table
2 summarizes the metropolitan area samples in the 2013 AHS.
Table 1--Metropolitan Area Samples in the 2011 AHS
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Years spanned by longitudinal
Metropolitan area or division sample
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Anaheim-Santa Ana Metro Division........ 1974, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1990,
1994, 2002, 2011.
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA Metro 1996, 2004, 2011.
Area.
Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area........ 1998, 2011.
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY Metro Area.... 1976, 1979, 1984, 1988, 1994,
2002, 2011.
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC Metro 1995, 2002, 2011.
Area.
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN Metro 1998, 2011.
Area.
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH Metro Area.. 1996, 2004, 2011.
Columbus, OH Metro Area................. 1995, 2002, 2011.
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metro Division.. 1974, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1994,
2002, 2011.
Denver-Aurora, CO Metro Area............ 1995, 2004, 2011.
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Division. 1974, 1977, 1981, 1985, 1989,
1994, 2002, 2011.
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN Metro Area...... 1996, 2004, 2011.
Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area........... 1995, 2002, 2011.
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Metro 1995, 1999, 2003, 2011.
Division.
Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area............ 1996, 2004, 2011.
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI Metro 1975, 1979, 1984, 1988, 1994,
Area. 2002, 2011.
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Metro 1995, 2004, 2009, 2011.
Area.
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metro 1998, 2011.
Division.
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ Metro Area.. 1974, 1977, 1981, 1985, 1989,
1994, 2002, 2011.
Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area............... 1995, 2004, 2011.
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA 1995, 2002, 2011.
Metro Area.
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA 1998, 2011.
Metro Area.
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 1975, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990,
Metro Area. 1994, 2002, 2011.
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA Metro 1975, 1978, 1982, 1987, 1991,
Area. 1994, 2002, 2011.
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA 2011.
Metro Division.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro 1998, 2011.
Area.
St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area............. 1996, 2004, 2011.
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 1996, 2004, 2011.
Metro Area.
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA- 1998, 2011.
NC Metro Area.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2--Metropolitan Area Samples in the 2013 AHS
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Years spanned by longitudinal
Metropolitan area or division sample
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Austin-Round Rock, TX Metro Area........ 2013.
Baltimore-Towson, MD Metro Area......... 1998, 2007, 2013.
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH Metro 1998, 2007, 2013.
Area.
Chicago Metro Area...................... 1999, 2003, 2009, 2013.
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI Metro Area... 1999, 2003, 2009, 2013.
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 1996, 2004, 2013.
Metro Area.
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX Metro 1998, 2007, 2013.
Area.
[[Page 6619]]
Jacksonville, FL Metro Area............. 2013.
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV Metro Area....... 2013.
Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN Metro 2013.
Area.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL 1995, 2002, 2007, 2013.
Metro Area.
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1998, 2007, 2013.
Metro Area.
New York Metro Area..................... 1995, 1999, 2003, 2009, 2013.
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro-- 2013.
Franklin, TN Metro Area.
Northern NJ Metro Area.................. 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003,
2009, 2013.
Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area............ 1996, 2004, 2013.
Orlando-Kissimmee, FL Metro Area........ 2013.
Philadelphia, PA Metro Area............. 1995, 1999, 2003, 2009, 2013.
Richmond, VA Metro Area................. 2013.
Rochester, NY Metro Area................ 1998, 2013.
San Antonio, TX Metro Area.............. 1995, 2004 ,2013.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area.. 1996, 2004, 2009, 2013.
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 1998, 2007, 2013.
Metro Area.
Tucson, AZ Metro Area................... 2013.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA- 1998, 2007, 2013.
MD-WV Metro Area.
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D. Redesign Goals of the Metropolitan Longitudinal Samples
Since 2012, HUD has been redesigning the AHS in preparation for the
2015 survey. One area of emphasis during the redesign has been to
increase the use and improve usefulness of the metropolitan area data.
To do this, we investigated the use of metropolitan area samples in
research and evaluated our methodology for determining which
metropolitan areas to sample, including our goal of maintaining
longitudinal metropolitan area samples by repeating them every four
years. The 2015 AHS redesign process has emphasized for HUD the need to
develop and maintain constituencies for metropolitan area data.
E. Metropolitan Areas of Importance for Housing Policy, Housing
Programs, and Other Reasons
In the past, HUD chose which AHS metropolitan areas to sample based
mainly on population size. While population size may be a useful
criterion, there are at least three other criteria that may be of
greater interest or importance to HUD and the AHS user community.
First, certain metropolitan areas may be good candidates for
inclusion in the 2015 AHS because of one or more housing policy issues.
For instance, some metropolitan areas may have experienced slower
recovery from the housing crisis due to different foreclosure
processes. Coastal metropolitan areas may be changing housing policy to
improve resiliency to climate change.
Second, some metropolitan areas may be good candidates for
inclusion in the 2015 AHS because of participation in housing programs,
especially metropolitan areas that are experimenting with different
low-income housing program alternatives.
Third, some metropolitan areas may be good candidates for inclusion
in the 2015 AHS because of unique demographic or socioeconomic trends
related to housing. For instance, some metropolitan areas may be facing
fast growth due to energy production and are consequently experiencing
housing supply shortages. Other metropolitan areas may be shrinking
which could lead to vacant or abandoned housing.
Lastly, it is worth noting that some metropolitan areas may be good
candidates for inclusion in the AHS in 2015 and in 2017 or 2019. For
instance, in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, HUD surveyed
New Orleans in both 2007 and 2009 for the purposes of measuring
recovery in the physical housing stock and in the overall housing
market. Commenters should feel free to suggest a near-term (2015-2021)
schedule for sampling one or more metropolitan areas.
F. Request for Comments
HUD is seeking additional information from the public regarding
which metropolitan areas should be sampled for the 2015 AHS.
Governmental policymakers, academic researchers, and other interested
parties are encouraged to participate by submitting comments.
Information regarding how to submit comments is stated in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice.
Dated: January 17, 2014.
Jean Lin Pao,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 2014-02193 Filed 2-3-14; 8:45 am]
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