(a) May I appeal the response? You may appeal any adverse determination made in response to your Privacy Act request. If you wish to seek review by a court of any adverse determination or denial of a request, you must first appeal it under this section.

(b) How do I appeal the response?—

(1) You may appeal by submitting in writing, a statement of the reasons you believe the adverse determination should be overturned. FHFA or FHFA-OIG must receive your written appeal within 30 calendar days of the date of the adverse determination under §1204.4. Your written appeal may include as much or as little related information as you wish, as long as it clearly identifies the determination (including the request number, if known) that you are appealing.

(2) If FHFA or FHFA-OIG denied your request in whole or in part, you may appeal the denial by writing directly to the FHFA Privacy Act Appeals Officer through electronic mail, mail, delivery service, or facsimile. The electronic mail address is: privacy@fhfa.gov. For mail or express mail, the address is: FHFA Privacy Act Appeals Officer, Federal Housing Finance Agency, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Eighth Floor, Washington, DC 20219. The facsimile number is: (202) 649-1073. For appeals of FHFA-OIG denials, whether in whole or in part, the appeal must be clearly marked by adding “FHFA-OIG” after “Privacy Act Appeal.” All appeals from denials, in whole or part, made by FHFA-OIG will be forwarded to the FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer for processing and direct response. You can help FHFA and FHFA-OIG process your appeal by marking electronic mail, letters, or facsimiles and the subject line, envelope, or facsimile cover sheet with “Privacy Act Appeal.” FHFA's “Privacy Act Reference Guide,” which is available on FHFA's Web site, http://www.fhfa.gov, provides additional information to assist you in making your appeal. FHFA or FHFA-OIG ordinarily will not act on an appeal if the Privacy Act request becomes a matter of litigation.

(3) If you need more time to file your appeal, you may request an extension of time of no more than ten (10) calendar days in which to file your appeal, but only if your request is made within the original 30-calendar day time period for filing the appeal. Granting an extension is in the sole discretion of either the FHFA or FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer.

(c) Who has the authority to grant or deny appeals? For appeals from the FHFA Privacy Act Officer, the FHFA Privacy Act Appeals Officer is authorized to act on your appeal. For appeals from the FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Officer, the FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer is authorized to act on your appeal.

(d) When will FHFA or FHFA-OIG respond to my appeal? FHFA or FHFA-OIG generally will respond to you in writing within 30 days of receipt of an appeal that meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, unless for good cause shown, the FHFA or FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer extends the response time.

(e) What will the FHFA or FHFA-OIG response include? The written response will include the determination of either the FHFA or FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer, whether to grant or deny your appeal in whole or in part, a brief explanation of the reasons for the determination, and information about the Privacy Act provisions for court review of the determination.

(1) If your appeal concerns a request for access to records or information and the appeal determination grants your access, the records or information, if any, will be made available to you.

(2)

(i) If your appeal concerns an amendment or correction of a record and the appeal determination grants your request for an amendment or correction, the response will describe any amendment or correction made to the record and advise you of your right to obtain a copy of the amended or corrected record under this part. FHFA or FHFA-OIG will notify all persons, organizations, or Federal agencies to which it previously disclosed the record, if an accounting of that disclosure was made, that the record has been amended or corrected. Whenever the record is subsequently disclosed, the record will be disclosed as amended or corrected.

(ii) If the response to your appeal denies your request for an amendment or correction to a record, the response will advise you of your right to file a Statement of Disagreement under paragraph (f) of this section.

(f) What is a Statement of Disagreement?—

(1) A Statement of Disagreement is a concise written statement in which you clearly identify each part of any record that you dispute and explain your reason(s) for disagreeing with either the FHFA or FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer's denial, in whole or in part, of your appeal requesting amendment or correction. Your Statement of Disagreement must be received by either the FHFA or FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Officer within 30 calendar days of either the FHFA or FHFA-OIG Privacy Act Appeals Officer's denial, in whole or in part, of your appeal concerning amendment or correction of a record. FHFA and FHFA-OIG will place your Statement of Disagreement in the system of records in which the disputed record is maintained. FHFA and FHFA-OIG may also append a concise statement of its reason(s) for denying the request for an amendment or correction of the record.

(2) FHFA and FHFA-OIG will notify all persons, organizations, and Federal agencies to which it previously disclosed the disputed record, if an accounting of that disclosure was made, that the record is disputed and provide your Statement of Disagreement and the FHFA or FHFA-OIG concise statement, if any. Whenever the disputed record is subsequently disclosed, a copy of your Statement of Disagreement and the FHFA or FHFA-OIG concise statement, if any, will also be disclosed.

[76 FR 51871, Aug. 19, 2011, as amended at 77 FR 4646, Jan. 31, 2012; 80 FR 80233, Dec. 24, 2015]