United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration FHWA HomeFeedback

FEDERAL-AID POLICY GUIDE
December 22, 1999, Transmittal 28
49 CFR 24A
  OPI: HEPR

SUBTITLE A - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

PART 24 - UNIFORM RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION FOR FEDERAL AND FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS

Subpart A - General

Sec.

24.1 Purpose.
24.2 Definitions.
24.3 No duplication of payments.
24.4 Assurances, monitoring and corrective action.
24.5 Manner of notices.
24.6 Administration of jointly-funded projects.
24.7 Federal agency waiver of regulations.
24.8 Compliance with other laws and regulations.
24.9 Recordkeeping and reports.
24.10 Appeals.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; 49 CFR 1.48(cc).

[57 FR 33264, July 27, 1992]

Source: 54 FR 8928, Mar. 2, 1989 and 64 FR 7127, Feb. 12, 1999, unless otherwise noted.

Sec. 24.1 Purpose.

The purpose of this part is to promulgate rules to implement the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.), in accordance with the following objectives:

Sec. 24.2 Definitions.

Agency. The term "Agency" means the Federal agency, State, State agency, or person that acquires real property or displaces a person.

Alien not lawfully present in the United States. The phrase "alien not lawfully present in the United States" means an alien who is not "lawfully present" in the United States as defined in 8 CFR 103.12 and includes:

Appraisal. The term "appraisal" means a written statement independently and impartially prepared by a qualified appraiser setting forth an opinion of defined value of an adequately described property as of a specific date, supported by the presentation and analysis of relevant market information.

Business. The term "business" means any lawful activity, except a farm operation, that is conducted:

Citizen. The term "citizen," for purposes of this part, includes both citizens of the United States and noncitizen nationals.

Comparable replacement dwelling. The term "comparable replacement dwelling" means a dwelling which is:

Contribute materially. The term "contribute materially" means that during the 2 taxable years prior to the taxable year in which displacement occurs, or during such other period as the Agency determines to be more equitable, a business or farm operation:

Decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling. The term "decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling" means a dwelling which meets applicable housing and occupancy codes. However, any of the following standards which are not met by an applicable code shall apply unless waived for good cause by the Federal agency funding the project. The dwelling shall:

Displaced person. (1) General. The term "displaced person" means, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this definition, any person who moves from the real property or moves his or her personal property from the real property: (This includes a person who occupies the real property prior to its acquisition, but who does not meet the length of occupancy requirements of the Uniform Act as described at Secs. 24.401(a) and 24.402(a)):

Dwelling. The term "dwelling" means the place of permanent or customary and usual residence of a person, according to local custom or law, including a single family house; a single family unit in a two-family, multi-family, or multi-purpose property; a unit of a condominium or cooperative housing project; a non-housekeeping unit; a mobile home; or any other residential unit.

Farm operation. The term "farm operation" means any activity conducted solely or primarily for the production of one or more agricultural products or commodities, including timber, for sale or home use, and customarily producing such products or commodities in sufficient quantity to be capable of contributing materially to the operator's support.

Federal financial assistance. The term "Federal financial assistance" means a grant, loan, or contribution provided by the United States, except any Federal guarantee or insurance and any interest reduction payment to an individual in connection with the purchase and occupancy of a residence by that individual.

Initiation of negotiations. Unless a different action is specified in applicable Federal program regulations, the term "initiation of negotiations" means the following:

Lead agency. The term "lead agency" means the Department of Transportation acting through the Federal Highway Administration.

Mortgage. The term "mortgage" means such classes of liens as are commonly given to secure advances on, or the unpaid purchase price of, real property, under the laws of the State in which the real property is located, together with the credit instruments, if any, secured thereby.

Nonprofit organization. The term "nonprofit organization" means an organization that is incorporated under the applicable laws of a State as a non-profit organization, and exempt from paying Federal income taxes under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501).

Notice of intent to acquire or notice of eligibility for relocation assistance. Written notice furnished to a person to be displaced, including those to be displaced by rehabilitation or demolition activities from property acquired prior to the commitment of Federal financial assistance to the activity, that establishes eligibility for relocation benefits prior to the initiation of negotiation and/or prior to the commitment of Federal financial assistance.

Owner of a dwelling. A person is considered to have met the requirement to own a dwelling if the person purchases or holds any of the following interests in real property;

Person. The term "person" means any individual, family, partnership, corporation, or association.

Program or project. The phrase "program or project" means any activity or series of activities undertaken by a Federal agency or with Federal financial assistance received or anticipated in any phase of an undertaking in accordance with the Federal funding agency guidelines.

Salvage value. The term "salvage value" means the probable sale price of an item, if offered for sale on the condition that it will be removed from the property at the buyer's expense, allowing a reasonable period of time to find a person buying with knowledge of the uses and purposes for which it is adaptable and capable of being used, including separate use of serviceable components and scrap when there is no reasonable prospect of sale except on that basis.

Small business. A business having not more than 500 employees working at the site being acquired or displaced by a program or project, which site is the location of economic activity. Sites occupied solely by outdoor advertising signs, displays, or devices do not qualify as a business for purposes of Sec. 24.304.

[58 FR 26070, April 30, 1993, (effective date June 1, 1993)]

State. Any of the several States of the United States or the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, or a political subdivision of any of these jurisdictions.

Tenant. The term "tenant" means a person who has the temporary use and occupancy of real property owned by another.

Uneconomic remnant. The term "uneconomic remnant" means a parcel of real property in which the owner is left with an interest after the partial acquisition of the owner's property, and which the acquiring agency has determined has little or no value or utility to the owner.

Uniform Act. The term "Uniform Act" means the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policy Act of 1970 (84 Stat. 1894; 42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.; Pub. L. 91-646), and amendments thereto.

Unlawful occupancy. A person is considered to be in unlawful occupancy if the person has been ordered to move by a court of competent jurisdiction prior to the initiation of negotiations or is determined by the Agency to be a squatter who is occupying the real property without the permission of the owner and otherwise has no legal right to occupy the property under State law. A displacing agency may, at its discretion, consider such a squatter to be in lawful occupancy.

Utility costs. The term "utility costs" means expenses for heat, lights, water and sewer.

Utility facility. The term "utility facility" means any electric, gas, water, steampower, or materials transmission or distribution system; any transportation system; any communications system, including cable television; and any fixtures, equipment, or other property associated with the operation, maintenance, or repair of any such system. A utility facility may be publicly, privately, or cooperatively owned.

Utility relocation. The term "utility relocation" means the adjustment of a utility facility required by the program or project undertaken by the displacing agency. It includes removing and reinstalling the facility, including necessary temporary facilities; acquiring necessary right-of-way on new location; moving, rearranging or changing the type of existing facilities; and taking any necessary safety and protective measures. It shall also mean constructing a replacement facility that has the functional equivalency of the existing facility and is necessary for the continued operation of the utility service, the project economy, or sequence of project construction.

[54 FR 8928, Mar. 2, 1989; 54 FR 24712, June 9, 1989]

Sec. 24.3 No duplication of payments.

No person shall receive any payment under this part if that person receives a payment under Federal, State, or local law which is determined by the Agency to have the same purpose and effect as such payment under this part. (See Appendix A of this part, Sec. 24.3.)

Sec. 24.4 Assurances, monitoring and corrective action.

Sec. 24.5 Manner of notices.

Each notice which the Agency is required to provide to a property owner or occupant under this part, except the notice described at Sec. 24.102(b), shall be personally served or sent by certified or registered first-class mail, return receipt requested, and documented in Agency files. Each notice shall be written in plain, understandable language. Persons who are unable to read and understand the notice must be provided with appropriate translation and counseling. Each notice shall indicate the name and telephone number of a person who may be contacted for answers to questions or other needed help.

Sec. 24.6 Administration of jointly-funded projects.

Whenever two or more Federal agencies provide financial assistance to an Agency or Agencies, other than a Federal agency, to carry out functionally or geographically related activities which will result in the acquisition of property or the displacement of a person, the Federal agencies may by agreement designate one such agency as the cognizant Federal agency. In the unlikely event that agreement among the Agencies cannot be reached as to which agency shall be the cognizant Federal agency, then the lead agency shall designate one of such agencies to assume the cognizant role. At a minimum, the agreement shall set forth the federally assisted activities which are subject to its terms and cite any policies and procedures, in addition to this part, that are applicable to the activities under the agreement. Under the agreement, the cognizant Federal agency shall assure that the project is in compliance with the provisions of the Uniform Act and this part. All federally assisted activities under the agreement shall be deemed a project for the purposes of this part.

Sec. 24.7 Federal agency waiver of regulations.

The Federal agency funding the project may waive any requirement in this part not required by law if it determines that the waiver does not reduce any assistance or protection provided to an owner or displaced person under this part. Any request for a waiver shall be justified on a case-by-case basis.

Sec. 24.8 Compliance with other laws and regulations.

The implementation of this part must be in compliance with other applicable Federal laws and implementing regulations, including, but not limited to, the following:

Sec. 24.9 Recordkeeping and reports.

Sec. 24.10 Appeals.


FHWA Home | Directives | 49 CFR TOC | Feedback
FHWA
United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration