[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 203 (Thursday, October 21, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56676-56677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27457]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
24 CFR Part 902
[Docket No. FR-4497-N-02]
RIN 2577-AC08
Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS); Transition to the PHAS
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian
Housing, and Office of the Director of the Real Estate Assessment
Center, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of delayed implementation.
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[[Page 56677]]
SUMMARY: This document advises of transition assistance that will be
provided in connection with implementation of the Public Housing
Assessment System (PHAS) for public housing agencies (PHAs) with fiscal
years ending on September 30, 1999, and December 31, 1999. HUD also
gives notice that it will issue PHAS Advisory Scores and Management
Assessment Scores as provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION of this
document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact the
Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC), Attention: Wanda Funk, U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW,
Suite 800, Washington DC, 20024; telephone Customer Service Center at
(888)-245-4860 (this is a toll free number). Persons with hearing or
speech impairments may access that number via TTY by calling the
Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additional
information is available from the REAC Internet Site, http://
www.hud.gov/reac. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access
that number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at
(800) 877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HUD's rule implementing the PHAS was
published on September 1, 1998 (64 FR 46596), and became effective
October 1, 1998. Although the PHAS regulation became effective October
1, 1998, the September 1, 1998 final rule provided PHAs with a delayed
implementation date for the PHAS. The final rule took into
consideration the time that was needed by PHAs to make the transition
to the new assessment system. As provided by the September 1, 1998
final rule, the PHAS was scheduled to be implemented for PHAs with
fiscal years ending on and after September 30, 1999.
On June 22, 1999 (64 FR 33348), HUD published a proposed rule to
amend certain provisions of the PHAS regulation, codified at 24 CFR
part 902. The Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998
(Pub.L. 105-276, approved October 21, 1998) (commonly referred to as
the ``Public Housing Reform Act'') made certain changes to the
statutory basis for the PHAS, which needed to be reflected in the
regulation. Additionally, during the scheduled PHAS transition year
(September 1998 to September 1999), HUD gained experience and valuable
information from its physical inspection of PHA properties, testing the
PHAS systems, and talking to PHAs about the PHAS. As a result of the
experience and information gained, HUD determined that certain changes
should be made to the PHAS regulation. These changes were described in
the preamble to the June 22, 1999, proposed rule.
HUD's public comment period on the June 22, 1999, proposed rule
closed August 23, 1999. Many of the PHAs who commented on this rule
have fiscal years ending September 30, 1999, and December 31, 1999,
making them the first PHAs to be issued PHAS scores under the September
1, 1998 rule. These PHAs requested additional time to prepare for
compliance with the PHAS requirements, and HUD will grant them
additional time as provided in this notice.
PHAs With Fiscal Years Ending 9/30/99 and 12/31/99
For PHAs with fiscal years ending September 30, 1999, or December
31, 1999, HUD will not issue PHAS scores for the fiscal years ending on
these dates. For these PHAs, in lieu of a PHAS score, HUD will issue
the following:
PHAS Advisory Score. A PHA with a fiscal year ending September 30,
1999, or December 31, 1999, will be issued a PHAS advisory score. The
PHA must comply with the requirements of 24 CFR part 902 (the PHAS
regulation) so that HUD may issue the advisory score.
1. Physical inspections will continue to be performed by HUD, as
part of the PHAS advisory score process, using HUD's uniform physical
inspection protocols. In the event, however, that changes are made to
HUD's Dictionary of Deficiencies, PHAS advisory scores will be revised
and reissued to reflect these changes.
2. For these PHAs to successfully make the transition to the PHAS,
they must comply with the requirements of PHAS, and be assessed by HUD
under the PHAS, if only on an advisory basis.
Management Assessment Score. A PHA with a fiscal year ending
September 30, 1999, or December 31, 1999, will receive an assessment
score on the basis of HUD's assessment of the PHA's management
operations in accordance with 24 CFR part 902, subpart D of the PHAS
regulation (PHAS Indicator #3, Management Operations).
PHAs With Fiscal Years Ending After 12/31/99
PHAs with fiscal years ending after December 31, 1999 will be
issued PHAS scores.
HUD is completing work on its final rule to follow the June 22,
1999 proposed rule. HUD will issue a consensus-based final rule that
will reflect the provisions of this Notice, address the public
comments, and describe all changes to the PHAS regulation made as a
result of the public comment and review process.
Dated: October 15, 1999.
Deborah Vincent,
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
Donald J. LaVoy,
Acting Director, Real Estate Assessment Center.
[FR Doc. 99-27457 Filed 10-20-99; 8:45 am]
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