Survey of Construction - Questionnaire for Building Permit Official

SOC-QBPO(L) (M-2014)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau

Washington, DC 20233-0001

Dear Sir/Madam,

"The Census Bureau’s economic surveys are indispensable to understanding America’s economy. They ensure the accuracy of the statistics we rely on for economic policy and for successful business planning. Participating in the monthly survey helps us all."

– Ben Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Visit our web site at: www.census.gov/mcd

Your permit office is part of the Survey of Construction (SOC), an important monthly survey on new residential construction. The permit information from your office and others around the country will allow accurate classification of building permits in the SOC and is used to measure housing starts and new housing sales, which are principal economic indicators. The United States Code, Title 13, Section 182, authorizes this voluntary survey. Title 13 also provides an exception to confidentiality for public records, such as publicly-filed permits. These statistics are used to monitor the construction industry and the economy.

A Census Bureau Representative will call or visit you to further explain the survey and to gather information.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this voluntar

Please note that the SOC is different from the Census Bureau’s Building Permits Survey for which you may currently receive Form C-404.

Sincerely,

The Office of Management and Budget has approved this survey and given it an 8-digit control number, which is shown in the upper righthand corner of the enclosed form. If this number was not displayed, we could not request your participation. We estimate that it will take from 12 to 18 minutes to complete an interview, with 15 minutes being the average time. Send comments regarding this estimate or any aspect of the collection of this information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Paperwork Project 0607-0125,

U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver Hill Road, AMSD – 3K138, Washington, DC 20233. You may also email comments to paperwork@census.gov; use “Paperwork Project 0607-0125” as the subject.

Mendel D. Gayle, Chief

Manufacturing and Construction Division

U.S. Census Bureau

Enclosure

y survey.

Your Census Representative

Attach your business card here.

census.gov