30-Day Notice of Proposed Reinstatement of Expired Information Collection; Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Counseling Standardization, Application for Certificate of HECM Counseling and HECM Counselor Roster; OMB Control No.: 2502-0586

AGENCY:

Office of Policy Development and Research, Chief Data Officer, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for an additional 30 days of public comment.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: December 7, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Interested persons are also invited to submit comments regarding this proposal and comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Clearance Officer, REE, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 8210, Washington, DC 20410; email PaperworkReductionActOffice@hud.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, REE, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410; email Colette.Pollard@hud.gov; telephone (202) 402–3400. This is not a toll-free number. HUD welcomes and is prepared to receive calls from individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals with speech or communication disabilities. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, please visit: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/telecommunications-relay-service-trs.

Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.

The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the information collection for a period of 60 days was published on August 29, 2023 at 88 FR 59536.

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Counseling Standardization, Application for HECM Counselor Roster, and Certificate of HECM Counseling.

OMB Approval Number: 2502–0586.

OMB Expiration Date: August 31, 2018.

Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of previously approved collection for which approval has expired.

Form Numbers: HUD–92902 and HUD–92904.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Reinstatement of previously approved collection to provide and maintain a current HUD approved HECM counselor roster. Counseling is required for all borrowers seeking to obtain an HUD insured HECM. The HECM Counselor examination and the HECM Roster application, HUD Form 92904, assist HUD in evaluating the knowledge and capacity of individuals interested in providing HECM counseling to potential HECM borrowers, thereby satisfying statutory requirements and reducing the risk to the insurance fund. The addition of the Certificate of HECM Counseling, HUD Form 92902, which is currently part of OMB Collection 2502–0524, to this collection is appropriate because the Office of Housing Counseling regulates all items pertinent to the roles of HUD-approved housing counselors, which includes HECM Roster Counselors. OMB Collection 2502–0524 was recently approved by OMB and has an expiration date of 4/30/2024. Revisions to HUD Form 92902 were necessary as per recommendations made by HUD OGC to ensure compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act burden statement as required in 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3) and the Privacy Act Notice requirements in 5 U.S.C. 552a (e)(3).

Respondents: Individuals or households; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 28,459.

Estimated Number of Responses: 28,459.

Frequency of Response:

HECM Counseling Standardization—14,000

HUD–92902, Certification of HECM Counseling—14,000

HUD–92904, Application for HECM Roster Counselor—305

Reporting continuing education for HECM Roster counselor biennial recertification—152

Termination of an HECM Roster Counselor—Once

Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.

Total Estimated Burden: 45,943 hours.

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following:

(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

(5) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to these questions.

C. Authority

Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35.