[Federal Register: April 28, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 81)] [Notices] [Page 22874] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr28ap99-61] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-4488-D-01] Redelegation of Authority to Housing-Federal Housing Administration Comptroller AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner, HUD. ACTION: Notice of redelegation of authority. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner is redelegating to the Housing-Federal Housing Administration Comptroller certain responsibilities that pertain to the financial operations administered by the Assistant Secretary. Under this legislation, the Housing-FHA Comptroller will be able to designate disbursing officials, within the Office of Housing, who may, in turn, disburse public money in connection with federal obligations under HUD's single family property disposition program. EFFECTIVE DATE: March 5, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria L. Bateman, Housing-FHA Comptroller, Office of Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street SW., room 5132, Washington, DC 20410. Telephone (202) 401-8800. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call HUD's TTY number (202) 708-1455 or the Federal Information Relay Service's TTY number at (800) 877- 8339. Other than the ``800'' number, the telephone and TTY numbers listed are not toll-free. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the routine administration of the single family property disposition program, the Office of Housing must make a broad range of expenditures in connection with the properties that it owns. Payees include utility companies, taxing authorities, and individual vendors that provide maintenance services. Authority to disburse public money is vested in the United States Treasury Department, which authority may be delegated to officers and employees of other executive agencies. To facilitate and promote the efficiency of HUD's property disposition program, on February 24, 1999, the Treasury Department issued a delegation of disbursing authority to the Housing Assistant Secretary. On March 5, 1999, the Assistant Secretary signed the delegation instrument, thereby indicating his acceptance and making it effective. The delegation is set forth as an appendix to this Federal Register notice. The disbursing authority, set forth in the delegation instrument, is subject to limitations. For example, disbursements can only be made from a particular account that is identified in the delegation and utilized for the single family property disposition program. The account must be in the name of the FHA, and can only be drawn upon by the disbursing officials designated under the delegation. The disbursing authority may be redelegated to the Housing-FHA Comptroller, who can designate disbursing officials. However, authority to make disbursements cannot be redelegated to non-federal personnel, including contractors. Accordingly, the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner redelegates the following authority: Section A. Authority Redelegated The Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner redelegates to the Housing-Federal Housing Administration Comptroller the authority to disburse public money, and to designate disbursement officials from within the Office of Housing-Federal housing Administration, subject to the following terms and limitations: This delegation of disbursing authority is limited to disbursements currently being made from the Controlled Disbursement Account authorized by the Financial Management Service on January 30, 1989, due to the unique administrative program processes of the single family property disposition program involving the payment requirements of utility companies and taxing authorities to be paid in a certain manner and the high number of individual vendors. Funds held outside of the U.S. Treasury must be approved by the Federal Management Service in accordance with 31 CFR Part 202. The Controlled Disbursement Account shall be in the name of the Federal Housing Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and shall be drawn upon only by the disbursing official specifically designated by the Housing- Federal Housing Administration Comptroller pursuant to this delegation. Section B. Authority Excepted The authority delegated in section A does not include the authority to issue regulations. Section C. No Further Redelegation The authority delegated in Section A may not be further redelegated by the Housing-FHA Comptroller. Section D. Revocation of Delegation The authority delegated in Section A may be revoked by the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner at any time. In addition, however, the authority shall be automatically revoked (1) at such time as the FHA has effected changes to the single family property disposition program that eliminate the need for the Controlled Disbursement Account or (2) upon a determination of the U.S. Chief Disbursing Officer, Department of the Treasury, to revoke, for any reason, the delegation of authority issued to the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner. Notice of any revocation of this authority will be published in the Federal Register. Authority: Section 7(d), Department of Housing and Urban Development Act, 42 U.S.C. 3535(d); Section 3321, ``Money and Finance'', Enactment as title 31, United States Code, 31 U.S.C. 3321. Dated: March 5, 1999. William C. Apgar, Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner. [FR Doc. 99-10578 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-27-M