[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17619-17620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7388]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit 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: Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS).
    OMB Control Number: 0607-0179.
    Form Number(s): HVS-600, BC-1428RV, CPS-263(L).
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden Hours: 4,626.
    Number of Respondents: 7,500.
    Average Hours per Response: 3 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The purpose of this request for review is to obtain 
clearance for the collection of demographic information in the Housing 
Vacancy Survey (HVS) beginning in August 2011. The current clearance 
expires July 31, 2011. The HVS has been conducted since 1956 and serves 
a broad array of data users as described below.
    The U.S. Census Bureau collects the HVS data for a sample of vacant 
housing units identified in the monthly Current

[[Page 17620]]

Population Survey (CPS) sample and provide the only quarterly 
statistics on rental vacancy rates, and home ownership rates for the 
United States, the four census regions, inside vs. outside metropolitan 
areas (MSAs), the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the 75 
largest MSAs. Private and public sector organizations use these rates 
extensively to gauge and analyze the housing market.
    In addition, the rental vacancy rate is a component of the index of 
leading economic indicators published by the Department of Commerce. It 
is used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), National Association of Home 
Builders, Federal Reserve Board (FRB), Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Department of Treasury, and the White House Council of Economic 
Advisers (CEA).
    Policy analysts, program managers, budget analysts, and 
Congressional staff use data obtained from the remaining questions that 
do not deal specifically with the vacancy rate to advise the executive 
and legislative branches of government with respect to number and 
characteristics of units available for occupancy and the suitability of 
housing initiatives.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: Monthly.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182, and 
Title 29, U.S.C. Section 1.
    OMB Desk Officer: Brian Harris-Kojetin, (202) 395-7314.
    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 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Brian Harris-Kojetin,
    OMB Desk Officer either by fax (202-395-7245) or e-mail 
([email protected]).

    Dated: March 24, 2011.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-7388 Filed 3-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P