Uniform Relocation Act

Relocation Requirements

The Uniform Relocation Act and Section 104(d) provide important protections and assistance for people affected by the acquisition, rehabilitation or demolition of real property for federally-funded projects.

The Uniform Relocation Act (URA) is triggered when acquisition, demolition, and/or rehabilitation is undertaken with HOME Investment Partnerships Program or National Housing Trust Fund received or anticipated in any phase of a project. URA is a federal law that establishes minimum standards for federally funded programs and projects that require the acquisition of real property or displace persons from their homes.

The URA’s Objectives

1. Provide uniform, fair and equitable treatment of persons whose real property is acquired or who are displaced in connection with federally funded projects.
2. To ensure relocation assistance is provided to displaced persons to lessen the emotional and financial impact of displacement.
3. To ensure that no individual or family is displaced unless decent, safe, and sanitary (DSS) housing is available within the displaced person's financial means.
4. To help improve the housing conditions of displaced persons living in substandard housing.
5. To encourage and expedite acquisition by agreement and without coercion.

Section 104(d)

Section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act provides minimum requirements for relocation subject to projects assisted with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds. The requirements und Section 104(d) include:

1. Recipients of funds must certify they have in effect and are following a Residential Antidisplacement and Relocation Plan, which is provided by MFA.
2. Relocation assistance to lower-income residential tenants displaced as a direct result of demolition of any dwelling unit OR conversion of a lower-income dwelling unit in connection with an assisted activity
3. Replacement, on a one-for-one basis, of all occupied and vacant occupiable lower-income dwelling units that are demolished or converted to a use other than lower income dwelling units in connection with an assisted activity.