[Federal Register: November 14, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 220)]
[Notices]               
[Page 68986-68987]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14no02-18]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    DOC has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
clearance the following proposal for collection of information under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
    Title: Quarterly Survey of Residential Alterations and Repairs.
    Form Number(s): SORAR-705.
    Agency Approval Number: 0607-0130.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 2,400 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 2,400.
    Avg Hours Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census Bureau is requesting an extension 
of the current approved collection for the Quarterly Survey of 
Residential Alterations and Repairs. The Census Bureau is responsible 
for preparing estimates of the expenditures for residential improvement 
and repairs. This segment of the construction industry amounted to over 
$150 billion in 2000. While the majority of the data are gathered from 
the Consumer Expenditure Survey (OMB number 1220-0050), a portion of 
the data (nearly $50 billion in 2000) are collected in this survey. The 
survey form is mailed quarterly to a sample of owners of rental or 
vacant residential properties. Since residential improvement and 
repairs are a large growing economic sector, any measure of the 
construction industry would be incomplete without the inclusion of 
these data.
    The Census Bureau uses the information collected to publish 
improvement and repair expenditures for rental and vacant residential 
properties. Data on improvements and repairs to owner-occupied 
properties are collected in the Consumer Expenditures Survey. Combined 
published estimates are used by a variety of private businesses and 
trade associations for marketing studies, economic forecasts and 
assessments of the construction industry. They also provide all levels 
of Government with a tool to evaluate economic policy and measure 
progress towards established goals. For example, the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis (BEA) uses improvement statistics to develop the residential 
structures component of the gross private domestic investment in the 
national income and product accounts.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, business or other for-
profit, State, local or tribal governments.

[[Page 68987]]

    Frequency: Quarterly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C., section 182.
    OMB Desk Officer: Susan Schechter, (202) 395-5103.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
dhynek@doc.gov).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Susan Schechter, OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-
mail (susan--schechter@omb.eop.gov).

    Dated: November 8, 2002.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-28913 Filed 11-13-02; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-07-P