then no additional elements of dwelling units, or entire dwelling units, are required to be accessible under this paragraph. Once two percent of the dwelling units in a project are readily accessible to or usable by individuals with hearing or vision impairments, then no additional elements of dwelling units, or entire dwelling units, are required to be accessible under this paragraph.

(2) Alterations to common areas or parts of facilities that affect accessibility of existing housing facilities, shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be made to be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

(c) The agency may establish a higher percentage or number of accessible units than that prescribed in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section if the agency determines that there is a need for a higher percentage or number, based on census data or other available current data. In making such a determination, HUD shall take into account the expected needs of eligible persons with and without disabilities.

(d) The definitions, requirements, and accessibility standards that apply to PDP multifamily housing projects covered by this section are those contained in the UFAS, except where the ADAAG provides for greater accessibility for the type of alteration being undertaken, and, in this case, the definitions, requirements and standards of the ADAAG shall apply.

(e) With respect to multifamily housing projects operated by HUD, but in which HUD does not have an ownership interest, alterations under this section need not be made if doing so would impose undue financial and administrative burdens on the operation of the multifamily housing project.

agency conducted program. This provision shall not be construed to require (but does allow) the provision of an elevator in any multifamily housing project solely for the purpose of permitting location of accessible units above or below the accessible grade level.

89.154 Occupancy of accessible dwelling units.

(a) The agency shall adopt suitable means to assure that information regarding the availability of accessible units in PDP housing facilities reaches eligible individuals with disabilities, and shall take reasonable nondiscriminatory steps to maximize the utilization of such units by eligible individuals whose disability requires the accessibility features of the particular unit. To this end, when an accessible unit becomes vacant, the agency (or its management agent) before offering such units to an applicant without disabilities shall offer such unit:

(1) First, to a current occupant of another unit of the same project, or comparable projects under common control, having disabilities requiring the accessibility features of the vacant unit and occupying a unit not having such features, or, if no such occupant exists, then

(2) Second, to an eligible qualified applicant on the waiting list having a disability requiring the accessibility features of the vacant unit.

(b) When offering an accessible unit to an applicant not having disabilities requiring the accessibility features of the unit, the agency may require the applicant to agree (and may incorporate this agreement in the lease) to move to a non-accessible unit when available.

§ 9.155 Housing adjustments.

(a) The agency shall modify its housing policies and practices as they relate to PDP housing facilities to ensure that these policies and practices do not discriminate, on the basis of disability, against a qualified individual with disabilities. The agency may not impose upon individuals with disabilities other policies, such as the prohibition of assistive devices, auxiliary aids, alarms, or guides in housing facilities,

that have the effect of limiting the participation of tenants with disabilities in any agency conducted housing program or activity in violation of this part. Housing policies that the agency can demonstrate are essential to the housing program or activity will not be regarded as discriminatory within the meaning of this section if modifications would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program or activity or undue financial and administrative burdens.

(b) The decision that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the Secretary or his or her designee after considering all agency resources available for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action required to comply with this section would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.

$9.160 Communications.

(a) The agency shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal entities, and members of the public.

(1) The agency shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids where necessary to afford an individual with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity conducted by the agency.

(i) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the agency shall give primary consideration to the requests of the individual with disabilities.

(ii) The agency need not provide individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal nature.

(2) Where the agency communicates with applicants and beneficiaries or members of the public by telephone, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's) or equally effective

telecommunication systems shall be used to communicate with persons with impaired hearing.

(b) The agency shall ensure that interested persons, including persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and facilities.

(c) The agency shall provide signage at a primary entrance to each of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The international symbol for accessibility shall be used at each primary entrance of an accessible facility.

(d) This section does not require the agency to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. In those circumstances where agency personnel believe that the proposed action would fundamentally alter the program or activity or would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the agency has the burden of proving that compliance with this section would result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the Secretary or his or her designee after considering all agency resources available for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If an action required to comply with $9.160 would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the agency shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.

§ 9.170 Compliance procedures.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of disability in programs or activities conducted by the agency.

(b) The agency shall process complaints alleging violations of section

504 with respect to employment according to the procedures established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR part 1613 under section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791).

(c) The Responsible Official shall coordinate implementation of this section.

(d) Persons may submit complete complaints to the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, 451 Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20410, or to any HUD Area Office. The agency shall accept and investigate all complete complaints for which the agency has jurisdiction. All complete complaints shall be filed within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The agency may extend this time period for good cause. For purposes of determining when a complaint is filed, a complaint mailed to the agency shall be deemed filed on the date it is postmarked. Any other complaint shall be deemed filed on the date it is received by the agency. The agency shall acknowledge all complaints, in writing, within ten (10) working days of receipt of the complaint.

(e) If the agency receives a complaint over which it does not have jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate Government entity.

(f) The agency shall notify the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), is not readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The agency shall delete the identity of the complainant from the copy of the complaint.

(g)(1) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint for which it has jurisdiction, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity shall complete the investigation of the complaint, attempt informal resolution, and if no informal resolution is achieved, issue a letter of findings. If a complaint is filed against the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, the Secretary or a designee of the Secretary shall in

vestigate and resolve the complaint through informal agreement or letter of findings.

(2) If a complaint is resolved informally, the terms of the agreement shall be reduced to writing and made part of the complaint file, with a copy of the agreement provided to the complainant and the agency. The written agreement may include a finding on the issue of discrimination and shall describe any corrective action to which the complainant and the respondent have agreed.

(3) If a complaint is not resolved informally, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity or a person designated under this paragraph shall notify the complainant of the results of the investigation in a letter containing

(i) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;

(ii) A description of a remedy for each violation found;

(iii) A notice of the right to appeal to the Secretary;

(h)(1) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or remedies must be filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from the agency of the letter required by §9.170(g). The Assistant Secretary or the person designated by the Secretary to decide an appeal of a complaint filed against the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity may extend this time for good cause.

(2) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the Assistant Secretary. Decisions on an appeal shall not be issued by the person who made the initial determination.

(i) The Assistant Secretary or the person designated by the Secretary to decide an appeal of a complaint filed against the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity shall notify the complainant of the results of the appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the request. If the agency determines that it needs additional information from the complainant, it shall have 60 days from the date it receives the additional information to make its determination on the appeal.

(j) The time limits cited in paragraphs (g) and (i) of this section may be

It is the policy of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide for public participation in rulemaking with respect to all HUD programs and functions, including matters that relate to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts even though such matters would not otherwise be subject to rulemaking by law or Executive policy. The Department therefore publishes notices of proposed rulemaking in the FEDERAL REGISTER and gives interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking through submission of written data, views, and arguments with or without opportunity for oral presentation. It is the policy of the Department that its notices of proposed rulemaking are to afford the public not less than sixty days for submission of comments. For some rules the Secretary will employ

additional methods of inviting public participation. These methods include, but are not limited to, publishing Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR), conducting public surveys, and convening public forums or panels. An ANPR will be used to solicit public comment early in the rulemaking process for significant rules unless the Secretary grants an exception based upon legitimate and pressing time constraints. Unless required by statute, notice and public procedure will be omitted if the Department determines in a particular case or class of cases that notice and public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary or contrary to the public interest. In a particular case, the reasons for the determination shall be stated in the rulemaking document. Notice and public procedure may also be omitted with respect to statements of policy, interpretative rules, rules governing the Department's organization or its own internal practices or procedures, or if a statute expressly so authorizes. A final substantive rule will be published not less than 30 days before its effective date, unless it grants or recognizes an exemption or relieves a restriction or unless the rule itself states good cause for taking effect upon publication or less than 30 days thereafter. Statements of policy and interpretative rules will usually be made effective on the date of publication.

[44 FR 1606, Jan. 5, 1979, as amended at 47 FR 56625, Dec. 20, 1982]

§ 10.2 Definitions.

(a) Rule or Regulation means all or part of any Departmental statement of general or particular applicability and future effect designed to: (1) Implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy, or (2) describe the Department's organization, or its procedure or practice requirements. The term regulation is sometimes applied to a rule which has been published in the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) Rulemaking means the Departmental process for considering and formulating the issuance, modification, or repeal of a rule.

(c) Secretary means the Secretary or the Under Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, or an official to

whom the Secretary has expressly delegated authority to issue rules.

$10.3 Applicability.

(a) This part prescribes general rulemaking procedures for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of rules in which participation by interested persons is required by 5 U.S.C. or by Department policy.

(b) The authority to issue rules, delegated by the Secretary, may not be redelegated unless expressly permitted.

(c) This part is not applicable to a determination by HUD under 24 CFR Part 966 (public housing) or 24 CFR Part 950 (Indian housing) that the law of a jurisdiction requires that, prior to eviction, a tenant be given a hearing in court which provides the basic elements of due process ("due process determination").

[44 FR 1606, Jan. 5, 1979, as amended at 61 FR 13273, Mar. 26, 1996]

§ 10.4 Rules docket.

(a) All documents relating to rulemaking procedures including but not limited to advance notices of proposed rulemaking, notices of proposed rulemaking, written comments received in response to notices, withdrawals or terminations of proposed rulemaking, petitions for rulemaking, requests for oral argument in public participation cases, requests for extension of time, grants or denials of petitions or requests, transcripts or minutes of informal hearings, final rules and general notices are maintained in the Rules Docket Room (Room 5218), Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410. All public rulemaking comments should refer to the docket number which appears in the heading of the rule and should be addressed to the Rules Docket Clerk, Room 5218, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410.

prescribed fee. (See part 15 of this title).

Subpart B-Procedures

§ 10.6 Initiation of rulemaking.

Rulemaking proceedings may be initiated on the Secretary's motion, or on the recommendation of a Federal, State, or local government or government agency, or on the petition of any interested person.

§ 10.7 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in accordance with §10.1 of this part is published in the FEDERAL REGISTER and briefly outlines:

(a) The proposed new program or program changes, and why they are needed;

(b) The major policy issues involved; (c) A request for comments, both specific and general, as to the need for the proposed rule and the provisions that the rule might include;

(d) If appropriate, a list of questions about the proposal that will elicit detailed comments;

(e) If known, an estimate of the reporting or recordkeeping requirements, if any, that the rule would impose; and

(f) Where comments should be addressed and the time within which they must be submitted.

$10.8 Notice of proposed rulemaking.

Each notice of proposed rulemaking required by statute or by §10.1 is published in the FEDERAL REGISTER and includes:

(a) The substance or terms of the proposed rule or a description of the subject matter and issues involved;

(b) A statement of how and to what extent interested persons may participate in the proceeding;

(c) Where participation is limited to written comments, a statement of the time within which such comments must be submitted;

(d) A reference to the legal authority under which the proposal is issued; and (e) In a proceeding which has provided Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, an analysis of the principal issues and recommendations