[Federal Register: February 9, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 26)] [Notices] [Page 6370-6371] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09fe99-100] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-4280-N-05] Notice of Baseline Review of HUD Properties AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner, HUD. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice advises owners, mortgagees and contract administrators of HUD insured and/or assisted housing, as well as members of the public, that HUD's Real Estate Assessment Center intends to conduct, as requested by the Congressional conferees in the FY 1999 HUD Appropriations Act, a physical inspection of substantially all assisted and/or FHA insured properties (``baseline review'') over the next 12 to 18 months. The baseline review will be conducted using HUD's new uniform and computerized physical inspection protocol. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Frank Malone, Office of Multifamily Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh St, SW, Room 6160, Washington, DC, 20410 (202) 708-3730 or Cassandra Faulconer, the Real Estate Assessment Center, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) 1280 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20024; telephone (202) 708-4932 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access that number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HUD's newly established Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) is charged with responsibility for assessing and scoring the condition of certain properties in which HUD has an interest, as well as the performance of entities that manage and/or own those properties. The establishment of REAC marks an important change in HUD's way of doing business, and it is one of the key components of Secretary [[Page 6371]] Cuomo's HUD 2020 Management Reform Plan. The establishment of REAC has created an effective and comprehensive property assessment system. HUD's Office of Housing and the Office of Public and Indian Housing have previously operated separate real estate assessment operations; yet the administration of both organization's multifamily portfolios is a common function of asset management. Under REAC, the assessment of properties of the Office of Housing and the Office of Public and Indian Housing has been consolidated and the physical evaluation standards and physical inspection procedures have been made uniform. As noted in the ``Summary'' portion of this notice, the purpose of this notice is to advise owners, mortgagees and contract administrators of HUD insured and/or assisted housing, as well as members of the public, that REAC intends to conduct, as requested by the Congressional conferees in the FY 1999 HUD Appropriations Act, a baseline review of substantially all assisted and/or FHA insured properties over the next 12 to 18 months. The baseline review will be conducted using HUD's new uniform physical inspection computerized protocol. This notice is not intended to waive or release the obligation of any person or entity to perform a physical inspection of a property or properties to be inspected in the baseline review, which inspection is otherwise required. Persons or entities required to perform a physical inspection of a property or properties must send their physical inspection reports to REAC at the address shown under the ``For Further Information'' section of this notice. Dated: January 25, 1999. William C. Apgar, Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner. [FR Doc. 99-3079 Filed 2-8-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-27-P