by Meghan Maury
RFIs of the Week: HUD issued two Requests for Information (RFIs) asking for public input on the continuation of specific surveys. If you are a user of either of these data sources, this is an especially critical time to weigh in.
RFI on the Uses of Rental Housing Finance Survey Data
RHFS presents a full picture of the financing of rental housing, including the financial, mortgage and property characteristics of single-family and multifamily rental housing properties. HUD is seeking public input on how the survey is used and whether there are any concerns about reducing the scope of or eliminating the RHFS.
Comments due January 30.RFI on the Uses of Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Apartments (SOMA) Data
The SOMA provides data on the rate at which different types of new rental apartments and new condominiums/ cooperative apartments are absorbed, that is, taken off the market, usually by being rented or sold, over the course of the first twelve months following completion of a building. HUD is seeking public input on how the survey is used and whether there are any concerns about reducing the scope of or eliminating the SOMA.
Comments due January 30.
Every time the government makes a change to a survey or a form — or introduces a new survey or form — you have the right to weigh in on that decision. The Take Action! newsletter highlights surveys or forms the government is changing, renewing, or introducing. Click the links to tell the government what you think about the changes they are making.
Note: The Take Action tab of DataIndex.us provides information about even more surveys, forms, evaluations, and records notices than are listed in your weekly newsletter.
Data Sharing
VA and DOJ Matching Program. VA and DOJ are entering into a new data sharing agreement regarding veterans, VA beneficiaries, and caregivers who are in federal prison and are also in receipt of compensation and pension benefits. Under this agreement matched data will be used to adjust compensation and pension benefits of incarcerated veterans, VA beneficiaries, and caregivers.
Comments due January 14.IRS and VA Data Sharing Agreement. Under this agreement, IRS will shared tax return information related to unearned income with the VA. VA will use this information to determine eligibility for, and amount of benefits for, VBA applicants and beneficiaries of needs-based benefits, and to adjust income-dependent benefit payments.
Comments due Jan. 15.Florida DCF and Lifeline Data Sharing Agreement. FCC is entering into a data sharing agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Families to verify the eligibility of applicants to and subscribers of Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), both of which are administered by USAC under the direction of the FCC.
Comments due January 16.SSA and RRB Data Sharing Agreement. Under this two-way agreement, RRB and SSA both share data with each other. RRB will use the information received from SSA in the administration of benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act. SSA will use the information received from RRB to administer its Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance program.
Comments due January 16.NCUA Data Sharing Agreement. NCUA is modifying its financial and acquisition records system to allow for sharing data with the Department of Treasury for the purposes of identifying, preventing, or recouping improper payments to an applicant for, or recipient of, Federal funds, including funds disbursed by a state in a state-administered, federally funded program.
Comments due January 20.
Economy
Survey of the Costs of Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering Compliance. This survey will gather information on the direct costs incurred by CFTC-registered futures commission merchants and introducing brokers in complying with the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and related Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements. Responses will help the agency understand the financial impact of these regulations and may be used to shape deregulatory proposals.
Comments due January 14.
Language Access
Model Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Individual Enrollment Request Form. CMS is making several changes to their Model enrollment request form, including the removal of voluntary demographic data questions and the removal of materials translated into Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean. In response to public comment on these changes, CMS argued that the changes were necessary to align with recent Executive Orders.
Comments due January 15.
Sexual Education
Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program Performance Analysis Study. This evaluation collects information on program structure, cost, and support for implementation; program attendance, reach, and dosage; the characteristics of youth involved in programming; youth sexual and other risky behavior prior to program participation; and youth sexual and other risky behavior intentions at program exit. The performance measures help the ACF program office and grant recipients to monitor and report on progress in implementing SRAE programs and inform technical assistance. Public commenters critiqued the value of the program itself, arguing that "evidence shows that SRAE does not positively impact teens’ sexual behaviors and is a waste of taxpayer funds." They also objected to changes to the collection, including the removal of response options on gender identity and removal of requirements that SRAE programs be trauma-informed, inclusive, and linguistically appropriate. ACF did not make any chances to the collection in response to public comment.
Comments due January 16.
Healthcare
Shortage Designation Management System. This system collects the information necessary for HRSA to determine if there is a shortage of nurses in an area that is historically underserved or that includes historically underserved populations. HRSA received more than 50 public comments on the revisions to these forms, most of which focused on how critical the designations are to the provision of healthcare. HRSA reaffirmed its commitment to the designations in its response to public comments.
Comments due January 16.
Criminal Justice
Annual Survey of Jails in Indian Country. This survey collects annual aggregated administrative data from all 77 Indian country jails, including: the number of inmates confined by demographic information, number of new admissions and final discharges, the average daily population (ADP) and peak population, the number of attempted suicides and deaths, the rated capacity to hold inmates, and the number of staff employed in Indian country jails. It's unclear from the listing what changes are being made to the survey.
Comments due January 20.
This newsletter is made possible by a very generous donation from the Leadership Conference Education Fund.