§ 4625 — Relocation Planning, Assistance Coordination, And Advisory Services

(a) Programs or projects undertaken by a Federal agency or with Federal financial assistance shall be planned in a manner that (1) recognizes, at an early stage in the planning of such programs or projects and before the commencement of any actions which will cause displacements, the problems associated with the displacement of individuals, families, businesses, and farm operations, and (2) provides for the resolution of such problems in order to minimize adverse impacts on displaced persons and to expedite program or project advancement and completion. (b) The head of any displacing agency shall ensure that the relocation assistance advisory services described in subsection (c) of this section are made available to all persons displaced by such agency. If such agency head determines that any person occupying property immediately adjacent to the property where the displacing activity occurs is caused substantial economic injury as a result thereof, the agency head may make available to such person such advisory services. (c) Each relocation assistance advisory program required by subsection (b) of this section shall include such measures, facilities, or services as may be necessary or appropriate in order to— (1) determine, and make timely recommendations on, the needs and preferences, if any, of displaced persons for relocation assistance; (2) provide current and continuing information on the availability, sales prices, and rental charges of comparable replacement dwellings for displaced homeowners and tenants and suitable locations for businesses and farm operations; (3) assure that a person shall not be required to move from a dwelling unless the person has had a reasonable opportunity to relocate to a comparable replacement dwelling, except in the case of— (A) a major disaster as defined in section 5122(2) of this title; (B) a national emergency declared by the President; or (C) any other emergency which requires the person to move immediately from the dwelling because continued occupancy of such dwelling by such person constitutes a substantial danger to the health or safety of such person; (4) assist a person displaced from a business or farm operation in obtaining and becoming established in a suitable replacement location; (5) supply (A) information concerning other Federal and State programs which may be of assistance to displaced persons, and (B) technical assistance to such persons in applying for assistance under such programs; and (6) provide other advisory services to displaced persons in order to minimize hardships to such persons in adjusting to relocation. (d) The head of a displacing agency shall coordinate the relocation activities performed by such agency with other Federal, State, or local governmental actions in the community which could affect the efficient and effective delivery of relocation assistance and related services. (e) Whenever two or more Federal agencies provide financial assistance to a displacing agency other than a Federal agency, to implement functionally or geographically related activities which will result in the displacement of a person, the heads of such Federal agencies may agree that the procedures of one of such agencies shall be utilized to implement this subchapter with respect to such activities. If such agreement cannot be reached, then the head of the lead agency shall designate one of such agencies as the agency whose procedures shall be utilized to implement this subchapter with respect to such activities. Such related activities shall constitute a single program or project for purposes of this chapter. (f) Notwithstanding section 4601(1) of this title, in any case in which a displacing agency acquires property for a program or project, any person who occupies such property on a rental basis for a short term or a period subject to termination when the property is needed for the program or project shall be eligible for advisory services to the extent determined by the displacing agency.