Department of Housing and Urban Development

1 Monday, November 26, 2001. Part IV. Department of Housing and Urban Development Public Housing Assessment System physical Condition Scoring Process Interim Scoring, Corrections and Republication; Notice VerDate 11<MAY>2000 15:16 Nov 23, 2001 Jkt 197001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\ pfrm07 PsN: 26 NON3. 59084 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2001 / Notices Department OF Housing AND Washington, DC 20024: telephone (202) and observable deficiencies in the five Urban Development 708 4932 extension 3464. Persons with inspectable areas: Site, Building hearing or speech impairments may Exterior, Building Systems, Common [Docket No. FR 4710 N 02]. access this number via TTY by calling Areas, and Dwelling Units.

2 The Public Housing Assessment System the Federal Information Relay Service at inspector also will record and report all physical Condition Scoring Process (800) 877 8339. Additional information health and safety deficiencies in each of Interim Scoring, Corrections and is available from the REAC Web site at the five inspectable areas. However, the Republication inspection score for each property will SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: be based only on the information AGENCY: Office of the Assistant reported by the inspector for two Secretary of Public and Indian Housing , Purpose of This Notice inspectable areas, Building Systems and HUD. The purpose of this notice is to Dwelling Units, after redistribution of ACTION: Notice. provide additional information about the area weights for the three non- the scoring process for PHAS Indicator included areas.

3 SUMMARY: This notice provides #1, physical Condition. The purpose of The area weights for the three non- additional information to public the physical Condition assessment is to scored inspectable areas will be Housing agencies (PHAs) about the ensure that public Housing units are redistributed proportionally to the two interim scoring methodology for scoring decent, safe, sanitary and in good repair, inspectable areas that will be scored. PHAs under the physical Condition using HUD's uniform physical Each property inspection score will Indicator of the Public Housing Condition standards (UPCS) for the continue to be based on a 100 point Assessment System (PHAS). This assessment. The physical condition scale. As a result, the nominal weights interim scoring is effective for PHAs assessment under the PHAS utilizes of the two inspectable areas that will be with fiscal years ending September 30, uniform physical inspection procedures scored will change.

4 See Item 9, below. 2001, December 31, 2001, March 31, to determine compliance with the UPCS The overall PHAS Indicator #1 score 2002, June 30, 2002, and September 30, and is an important indicator of the will determine the frequency of 2002. After the interim period, the PHA's performance. inspections of a PHA's portfolio. For Department will determine a PHA's Of the total 100 points available for a PHAs whose PHAS Indicator #1 score is PHAS physical Condition Indicator PHAS score, a PHA may receive up to 24 or higher based on the 30 point score, score in accordance with the scoring 30 points under PHAS Indicator #1. The physical inspections will be conducted process of this notice, excluding the physical condition score is included in every two years (subject to any changes modification in the calculation of the the aggregate PHAS score.)

5 Made in further revisions to the rule or area weights for the five inspectable The information provided in this notice was originally published on May scoring notices). For PHAs whose PHAS. areas. Indicator #1 score is less than 24 based By notice published June 28, 2000, 13, 1999 (64 FR 26166), and republished on June 23, 1999 (64 FR 33650). HUD on the 30 point score, physical the Department updated the physical inspections will be conducted annually. Condition Scoring Process notice that solicited public comment on both the May 13, 1999, and June 23, 1999, The baseline'' PHAS Indicator #1. was published on June 23, 1999. The score that determines the frequency of June 28, 2000, notice took into notices. This physical Condition Scoring Process notice, is published in inspections is as follows: consideration public comments received (1) For PHAs having a fiscal year end on the June 23, 1999, notice and this edition of the Federal Register, has been revised from the June 23, 1999, (FYE) of September 30, the PHAS.

6 Reflected changes made to the PHAS Indicator #1 score from the September final rule published on January 11, notice, to reflect the public comments received on the previous notices and to 30, 2000, physical inspection(s) will be 2000, and corrections to that final rule used;. published on June 6, 2000. reflect the changes made to the PHAS. regulations by final rule published on (2) For PHAs having a FYE of This document also corrects printing December 31, the PHAS Indicator #1. errors that occurred in a portion of January 11, 2000 (65 FR 1712). This notice is different from the June score from December 31, 1999 will be Appendix 1 in the June 28, 2000, notice; used; if the PHA was inspected for the 28, 2000 notice in the following and includes the revised Dictionary of December 31, 2000, cycle, the December respects: (1) It modifies the normalized Deficiency Definitions as Appendix 2.

7 Area weights so that a property's 31, 2000, score will be used;. The changes made to this notice are physical inspection score is derived (3) For PHAs having a FYE of March discussed in the SUPPLEMENTARY from Dwelling Unites and Building 31, the PHAS Indicator #1 score form INFORMATION section of this notice. March 31, 2000 will be used; if the PHA. Systems only; (2) it prescribes the DATES: Comments Due Date: December frequency of inspections based on a was inspected for the March 31, 20001, 26, 2001. PHA's most recent PHAS physical cycle, the March 31, 2001, score will be FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Condition Indicator score; (3) it used; and further information contact the Real describes how the scoring methodology (4) For PHAs having a FYE of June 30, Estate Assessment Center (REAC), reflects that not all buildings are the PHAS Indicator #1 score from June Attention: Wanda Funk, inspected and includes in building 30, 2000, will be used; if the PHA was Department of Housing and Urban weights the building selection inspected for the June 30, 2001, cycle, Development , 1280 Maryland Avenue, probabilities; and (4) it includes the the June 30, 2001, score will be used.

8 SW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20024: revised Dictionary of Deficiency physical inspections will be telephone REAC's Customer Service Definitions as Appendix 2. During the conducted in accordance with the above Center at (888) 245 4860 (this is a toll interim period, the numerical scoring of assessment cycle commenting with free number) or contact the Office of each inspection will change but the PHAs having a FYE of September 30, Public and Indian Housing , Attention: inspection process and protocol will 2001. The application for adjustment to Judy Wojciechowski, Department remain the same. The inspector will PHAS Indicator #1 for physical of Housing and Urban Development , follow the same inspection condition and/or neighborhood 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW.

9 , Suite 800, methodology, , recording information environment will be considered in the VerDate 11<MAY>2000 15:16 Nov 23, 2001 Jkt 197001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\ pfrm07 PsN: 26 NON3. Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2001 / Notices 59085. year the PHA receives a physical shown in Appendix 1 (Item Weights and so on. To develop the scoring inspection. Criticality Levels). methodology for the PHAS physical Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Deficiencies refer to specific problems inspection, HUD utilized information PHA that is not required to have an that can be recorded for the inspectable provided by several knowledgeable inspection based on its baseline'' score, items, such as a hole in a wall or a parties, including: may request that HUD perform a PHAS damaged refrigerator in the kitchen.

10 Professionals experienced in Indicator #1 inspection. The Office of Criticality means one of five levels assessing the physical condition of Public and Indian Housing must receive that reflect the relative importance of properties;. requests for an inspection no later than the deficiencies for an inspectable item. Representatives from the Housing 60 days prior to the PHA's FYE with the Appendix 1 also lists all deficiencies and public Housing industries; and exception of requests for an inspection with their designated levels, which vary HUD professionals. from PHAs with a FYE of September 30, from 1 to 5, with 5 as the more critical. In an extensive series of meetings, 2001, and December 31, 2001, which The deficiencies also have assigned these parties gave HUD valuable advice must be received no later than values used in scoring as follows: and comments on the relative weights December 31, 2001.