[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 73 (Monday, April 17, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19191-19192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9329]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity
24 CFR Part 120
[Docket No. R-95-1726; FR-3593-P-01]
RIN 2529-AA71
Community Housing Resource Board Program
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity, HUD.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: This proposed rule would end the Community Housing Resource
Board (CHRB) Program at 24 CFR part 120. The purpose of the proposed
rule is to eliminate a program determined to be duplicative and
unnecessary.
DATES: Comments due date: June 16, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding
this proposed rulemaking to the Rules Docket Clerk, Office of General
Counsel, Room 10278, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451
Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20410. Communications should
refer to the above docket number and title. A copy of each
communication submitted will be available for public inspection and
copying between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays at the above address.
Facimile (FAX) comments are not acceptable.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maxine Cunningham, Acting Director,
Office of Fair Housing Assistance and Voluntary Programs, Room 5234,
451 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20410-2000. Telephone number
(202) 708-0800. A telecommunications device (TDD) for hearing and
speech impaired persons is available at (202) 708-0455. (These are not
toll-free numbers.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CHRB Program was established in 1982 at
24 CFR part 120, under authority of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601). The purpose of the program is stated, at 24
CFR 120.5, as:
The purpose of the Community Housing Resource Board Program is
to provide funding to Community Housing Resource Boards (Resource
Boards) that have the responsibility of providing program
implementation assistance to housing industry groups that have
signed Voluntary Affirmative Marketing Agreements (VAMA) with HUD.
The intent of the program is to fulfill HUD's contractual agreement
to provide technical assistance to local real estate boards in
achieving VAMA goals by supporting projects that improve Resource
Board performance and increase their ability to effectively plan,
finance, and carry out activities to assist signatory real estate
boards in fully implementing the provisions of the VAMA.
Through Fiscal Year 1990, $15.274 million was appropriated and
disbursed to CHRBs under a competitive grant process. Approximately 25-
50 CHRBs were funded each year. In order to be eligible, projects must
have been directed at one or more of the following areas:
(1) Making information public regarding the goals of fair housing
and the VAMA;
(2) Assessing community fair housing needs;
(3) Assessing the effectiveness of the VAMA;
(4) Expanding minority involvement in the industry;
(5) Expanding public awareness of housing opportunities in the
community; and
(6) Developing cooperative solutions to problems associated with
the implementation of the VAMA.
CHRB projects include developing brochures, videos, and other
outreach materials; conducting fair housing seminars and conferences to
inform realtors and other housing industry professionals as well as the
general public of their rights and responsibilities under the Fair
Housing Law; school poster contests where children's art work depicts
``Fair Housing for All''; and scholarship programs to attract
minorities into the real estate profession.
However, no funds have been appropriated for the Community Housing
Resource Board (CHRB) Program since Fiscal Year (FY) 1990. There are
several reasons for this. One reason is that another source of funding
for the same activities was made available. The Fair Housing
Initiatives Program (FHIP), established in 1987, includes an Education
and Outreach Initiative. This Initiative funds education and outreach
projects designed to inform members of the public concerning their
rights and obligations under the provisions of fair housing laws. As
private, non-profit organizations, CHRBs are eligible for funding under
the FHIP.
Another reason concerns modifications to VAMAs since the initiation
of the CHRB Program. In 1991 HUD began negotiations with the National
Association of Realtors (NAR) for a revised VAMA. One of the major
changes proposed by NAR was the elimination of the requirement to
utilize [[Page 19192]] CHRBs for monitoring and implementation of VAMA
activity. The new VAMA, signed by the Secretary of HUD and the NAR
President in June 1992, deletes this requirement. The VAMA provides
instead that local Realtor Boards ``formulate relationships with civil
rights, fair housing, and other community based organizations with a
substantial interest in fair housing as a conduit to meet fair housing
and VAMA objectives.'' While some local Boards continue to work closely
with established CHRBs in various fair housing activities, the
Department no longer has a contractual agreement to support VAMA
implementation activities through CHRBs.
Based on the foregoing, and as part of the renewed effort to
eliminate duplicative and/or unnecessary programs, the Department has
determined that the elimination of the CHRB Program is appropriate. To
accomplish this end, this proposed rule would remove and reserve 24 CFR
part 120.
Findings and Certifications
Environmental Review
A Finding of No Significant Impact with respect to the environment
has been made in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 50,
which implement section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969. The Finding of No Significant Impact is available for
public inspection between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays in the
Office of the Rules Docket Clerk.
Impact on Small Entities
The Secretary, in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 605(b)), has reviewed this proposed rule before publication and
by approving it certifies that this proposed rule does not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The purpose of the proposed rule is to eliminate a program determined
to be duplicative and unnecessary.
Regulatory Agenda
This proposed rule was listed as Item No. 1865 in the Department's
Semiannual Agenda of Regulations published on November 14, 1994 (59 FR
57632, 57667) pursuant to Executive Order 12866 and the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
Federalism Impact
The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a)
of Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that because this
proposed rule would eliminate a program determined to be duplicative
and unnecessary, the policies contained in this proposed rule will not
have substantial direct effects on states or their political
subdivisions, or the relationship between the federal government and
the states, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among
the various levels of government. As a result, the proposed rule is not
subject to review under the order.
Impact on the Family
The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under Executive
Order 12606, The Family, has determined that this proposed rule does
not have the potential for direct impact on family formation,
maintenance, and general well-being. The proposed rule would only
eliminate a program determined to be duplicative and unnecessary, and
as such, no further review is considered necessary.
List of Subjects in 24 CFR Part 120
Fair housing, Grant programs--housing and community development.
Accordingly, and under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 3535(d), chapter
I of title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations would be amended by
removing and reserving part 120.
Dated: May 3, 1994.
Roberta Achtenberg,
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
[FR Doc. 95-9329 Filed 4-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-28-P