supporting_Statement1_Choice1

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Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

Information Collection:

Choice Neighborhoods

A. Justification

1. The Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2010 (part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Public Law 111-117, enacted on December 16, 2009) permits the HUD Secretary to use up to $65,000,000 of the HOPE VI appropriations for a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative demonstration. With FY 2010 funding, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative is a demonstration program under section 24 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1437v). Thus, except as otherwise specified in the appropriations act, the HOPE VI program requirements and selection criteria will apply to Choice Neighborhoods grants for FY 2010, including the authorization to collect information in order for HUD to award and manage grants. Accordingly, the information collection will collect similar information to that collected in the past for HOPE VI. Many of the existing HOPE VI forms will be revised slightly to be useable for Choice Neighborhoods (e.g., changing titling, etc.).

Building upon the successes achieved and the lessons learned from the HOPE VI program, Choice Neighborhoods is a demonstration program that will employ a comprehensive approach to community development centered on housing transformation. The program aims to transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable mixed-income neighborhoods with access to economic opportunities by revitalizing severely distressed public and assisted housing and investing and leveraging investments in well-functioning services, effective schools and education programs, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.

Choice Neighborhoods grants will primarily fund the transformation of public and/or HUD-assisted housing developments through preservation, rehabilitation, and management improvements as well as demolition and new construction. In addition, these funds can be used on a limited basis (and combined with other funding) for improvements to the surrounding community, public services, facilities, assets and supportive services. Choice Neighborhoods grant funds are intended to catalyze other investments that will be directed toward necessary community improvements.

In contrast to the HOPE VI program, the eligible applicants are local governments, public housing authorities, nonprofits, and for-profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity.

The FY 2010 Choice Neighborhoods grants will be governed by the FY 2010 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and the Grant Agreements executed between each grant recipient and HUD.

2. Eligible applicants interested in obtaining Choice Neighborhoods grant funds will be required to submit applications to HUD, as explained in the NOFAs. The information collection covers the information needed from applicants to determine which applicants should be funded. The information provided demonstrates the applicants’ plans to implement the grant requirements, and includes related applicant history. The application will include such information as narrative exhibits, certifications, data forms, supporting documentation, maps, and drawings. The information will be used by HUD staff to evaluate threshold requirements and rate and rank grant applications.

3. Technology applied to the collection: This information collection is automated in order to improve data quality and to reduce the public reporting burden. Since FY 2005, the Department has required applications prepared in response to NOFAs to be submitted electronically via Grants.gov.

4. Duplication of Effort:

There is no duplication of effort. Information collected is unique to each type of collection and does not duplicate any similar information or method.

5. Impact on Small Business and Small Entities:

These information collections have no impact on small businesses or other entities.

6. Consequence of Less Frequent Collection:

The Federal statutory mandate would not be met if the collection is not conducted. The information collection is necessary so that the available funds, per the appropriations act, may be awarded to successful applicants for Choice Neighborhoods grants.

7. Special Circumstances for Information Collection:

There are no special circumstances that would cause these information collections to be conducted inappropriately. 

8. Federal Register Notice and Public Comments:

A Notice was published in the Federal Register on Aug. 25, 2010 to solicit comments on the Choice Neighborhoods information collection.

9. Payment/Gifts to Respondents:

No payments or gifts are provided to respondents for any of these information collections.

10. Assurances of Confidentiality:

Assurance of confidentiality is neither provided nor needed for any of these information collections.

11. Questions of a Sensitive Nature:

No sensitive questions are being asked for any of these information collections.

12. Estimate of Annual Burden Hours for Information Collection: The chart below outlines the burden associated with the various aspects of the Choice Neighborhoods grants program, Round 1, and a breakout of the forms associated with each portion of that burden.

Costs to the respondents to complete these information collections will not exceed those incurred by regular grant administration, planning and management.

For Choice Neighborhoods Round 1 burden hours per response total to 58.09 for Implementation Grant applications and 35.59 for Planning Grant applications. For FY 2010, applicants may only submit an Implementation Grant application or a Planning Grant application, not both. The total burden hours, estimating 100 respondents for each grant application type, is 5,809 for Implementation Grants and 3,559 for Planning Grants. Forms such as the SF 424 are not duplicative information. These forms, while authorized under different OMB Control Numbers, are submitted as part of the Choice Neighborhoods applications and used specific to the applications’ content.

	Respondents	Annual responses	Total responses	Burden per Response	Total burden hours	Salary	Total Burden Cost
Choice Neighborhoods Application - Implementation Grants
Application Checklist/Table of Contents	100	1	100	0.25	25.00	$40	$1,000
Narrative Exhibits	100	1	100	20	2,000.00	$40	$80,000
Application Data Form: Cover Sheet - Implementation Grants	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Application Data Form: Existing Units, Occupancy, Vacancy	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Application Data Form: Planned Units	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Sources and Uses	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Grant Sizing Worksheet	100	1	100	0.75	75.00	$40	$3,000
Extraordinary Site Costs Certification	100	1	100	0.5	50.00	$40	$2,000
Site Control Documentation	100	1	100	5	500.00	$40	$20,000
Eligible Applicants Documentation - MOU for For-Profit Developer	100	1	100	2	200.00	$40	$8,000
Partnership MOU - MOU for Lead Applicant, Co-Applicant(s), and Principal Team Members	100	1	100	2	200.00	$40	$8,000
Eligible Neighborhoods Documentation – Eligible Neighborhoods Map	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Eligible Neighborhoods Documentation – Substandard Housing Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Eligible Neighborhoods Documentation –Severe Distress of Targeted Project Certification	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
One-for-One Replacement Certification	100	1	100	0.5	50.00	$40	$2,000
Resident and Community Involvement Certification	100	1	100	0.5	50.00	$40	$2,000
Capacity - Lead Applicant Implementation Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Capacity - Housing Implementation Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Capacity - People Implementation Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Capacity - Education Implementation Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Capacity - Neighborhood Implementation Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Capacity - Overall Community Involvement Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Capacity - References	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Need - Structural Deficiencies Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Need - Design Deficiencies Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Need - Part I Violent Crimes Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Need - School Form and Supporting Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Vision - Achievability - Walkscore Documentation	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Vision - Achievability - Preliminary Budget	100	1	100	1.25	125.00	$40	$5,000
Vision – Achievability - Development Schedule	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Documentation to Support Consistency with Other Planning Documents	100	1	100	0.25	25.00	$40	$1,000
City and Neighborhood Maps	100	1	100	2	200.00	$40	$8,000
Current Site Plan	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Conceptual Site Plan	100	1	100	1	100.00	$40	$4,000
Choice Neighborhoods Application Certification - Implementation Grants	100	1	100	0.25	25.00	$40	$1,000
SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance	100	1	100	0.25	25.00	$40	$1,000
SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities	100	1	100	0.17	17.00	$40	$680
2880 Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update Report	100	1	100	0.25	25.00	$40	$1,000
96011 Third Party Facsimile Report	100	1	100	0.17	17.00	$40	$680
Sub Total	100	1	100	58.09	5,809.00	$40	$232,360
Choice Neighborhoods Application - Planning Grants
Application Checklist/Table of Contents	100	1	100	0.25	25	$40	$1,000
Narrative Exhibits	100	1	100	11	1100	$40	$44,000
Application Data Form: Cover Sheet - Planning Grants	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Application Data Form: Existing Units, Occupancy, Vacancy	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Budget	100	1	100	1.25	125	$40	$5,000
Eligible Applicants Documentation - MOU for For-Profit Developer	100	1	100	2	200	$40	$8,000
Binding Contract with Planning Coordinator for Planning Grants	100	1	100	2	200	$40	$8,000
Eligible Neighborhoods Documentation – Eligible Neighborhoods Map	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Eligible Neighborhoods Documentation – Substandard Housing Documentation	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Eligible Neighborhoods Documentation –Severe Distress of Targeted Project Certification	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Resident Involvement Certification	100	1	100	0.5	50	$40	$2,000
City and Neighborhood Maps	100	1	100	2	200	$40	$8,000
Need- Structural Deficiencies Documentation	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Need- Design Deficiencies Documentation	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Need - Part I Violent Crimes Documentation	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Need- School Form and Supporting Documentation	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Leverage documentation	100	1	100	5.5	550	$40	$22,000
Current Site Plan	100	1	100	1	100	$40	$4,000
Choice Neighborhoods Application Certifications - Planning Grants	100	1	100	0.25	25	$40	$1,000
SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance	100	1	100	0.25	25	$40	$1,000
SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities	100	1	100	0.17	17	$40	$680
2880 Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update Report	100	1	100	0.25	25	$40	$1,000
96011 Third Party Facsimile Report	100	1	100	0.17	17	$40	$680
Sub Total	100	1	100	35.59	3559	$40	$142,360
Overall Total	200	1	200	93.68	9368	$40	$374,720

13. Cost Burden of Information Collection:

There are no start-up or additional costs to the respondents other than those reported in Item 12 above in the Burden Cost Column. The GS-14-1 wage was used for most collections, at $40 per hour.

14. Annualized Cost to Federal Government:

We do not estimate that there will be any additional costs to the Federal government for any of these information collections.

15. Changes or Adjustments to OMB Form 83-I: n/a

16. Publication of Information Collection Results:

Information collection results will not be published.

17. Expiration Date:

The OMB approval number and date will appear on the HUD-prescribed forms.

18. Exceptions to Certification Statement:

There are no exceptions to the certification statement identified in item 19.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

There are no collections of information that employ statistical methods.