Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§4623 Replacement housing for homeowner; mortgage insurance

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 61— - UNIFORM RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION POLICIES FOR FEDERAL AND FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - UNIFORM RELOCATION ASSISTANCE › § 4623

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The agency head must pay an extra amount, up to $31,000 (adjusted by rule), to someone who is forced to move from a home they owned and lived in for at least 90 days before the agency began buying the property. That extra money can cover: the gap between what the agency paid and the reasonable cost of a similar home; any higher interest or loan costs for the new home (only if the old home had a real mortgage that was a valid lien for at least 180 days before negotiations); and reasonable title, recording, and other closing costs (not prepaid items). The person must buy and live in a decent, safe, and sanitary replacement home within 1 year after they get final payment (or after the agency’s related obligation is met), though the agency can extend that deadline for good cause. If extended, the payment is still based on costs for moving into a comparable home within 1 year. A federal agency may also insure a mortgage (including construction advances) for a displaced person who gets this help, even if the person would not normally qualify because of age, health, or similar requirements, and the agency can promise that insurance before the mortgage is signed.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §4623

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)In addition to payments otherwise authorized by this subchapter, the head of the displacing agency shall make an additional payment not in excess of $31,000, as adjusted by regulation, in accordance with 4633(d) 11 So in original. Probably should be preceded by “section”. of this title, to any displaced person who is displaced from a dwelling actually owned and occupied by such displaced person for not less than 90 days before the initiation of negotiations for the acquisition of the property. Such additional payment shall include the following elements:
(A)The amount, if any, which when added to the acquisition cost of the dwelling acquired by the displacing agency, equals the reasonable cost of a comparable replacement dwelling.
(B)The amount, if any, which will compensate such displaced person for any increased interest costs and other debt service costs which such person is required to pay for financing the acquisition of any such comparable replacement dwelling. Such amount shall be paid only if the dwelling acquired by the displacing agency was encumbered by a bona fide mortgage which was a valid lien on such dwelling for not less than 180 days immediately prior to the initiation of negotiations for the acquisition of such dwelling.
(C)Reasonable expenses incurred by such displaced person for evidence of title, recording fees, and other closing costs incident to the purchase of the replacement dwelling, but not including prepaid expenses.
(2)The additional payment authorized by this section shall be made only to a displaced person who purchases and occupies a decent, safe, and sanitary replacement dwelling within 1 year after the date on which such person receives final payment from the displacing agency for the acquired dwelling or the date on which the displacing agency’s obligation under section 4625(c)(3) of this title is met, whichever is later, except that the displacing agency may extend such period for good cause. If such period is extended, the payment under this section shall be based on the costs of relocating the person to a comparable replacement dwelling within 1 year of such date.
(b)The head of any Federal agency may, upon application by a mortgagee, insure any mortgage (including advances during construction) on a comparable replacement dwelling executed by a displaced person assisted under this section, which mortgage is eligible for insurance under any Federal law administered by such agency notwithstanding any requirements under such law relating to age, physical condition, or other personal characteristics of eligible mortgagors, and may make commitments for the insurance of such mortgage prior to the date of execution of the mortgage.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2012—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 112–141, in first sentence, substituted “$31,000, as adjusted by regulation, in accordance with 4633(d) of this title,” for “$22,500” and “90 days before” for “one hundred and eighty days prior to”. 1987—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–17, § 406(1)–(3), substituted “displacing agency” for “Federal agency” and “$22,500” for “$15,000” in introductory provisions, and in subpar. (A) “acquired by the displacing agency, equals the reasonable cost of a comparable replacement dwelling” for “acquired by the Federal agency, equals the reasonable cost of a comparable replacement dwelling which is a decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling adequate to accommodate such displaced person, reasonably accessible to public services and places of employment and available on the private market. All determinations required to carry out this subparagraph shall be made in accordance with standards established by the head of the Federal agency making the additional payment”. Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 100–17, § 406(4), added subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “The amount, if any, which will compensate such displaced person for any increased interest costs which such person is required to pay for financing the acquisition of any such comparable replacement dwelling. Such amount shall be paid only if the dwelling acquired by the Federal agency was encumbered by a bona fide mortgage which was a valid lien on such dwelling for not less than one hundred and eighty days prior to the initiation of negotiations for the acquisition of such dwelling. Such amount shall be equal to the excess in the aggregate interest and other debt service costs of that amount of the principal of the mortgage on the replacement dwelling which is equal to the unpaid balance of the mortgage on the acquired dwelling, over the remainder term of the mortgage on the acquired dwelling, reduced to discounted present value. The discount rate shall be the prevailing interest rate paid on savings deposits by commercial banks in the general area in which the replacement dwelling is located.” Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 100–17, § 406(5), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “The additional payment authorized by this subsection shall be made only to such a displaced person who purchases and occupies a replacement dwelling which is decent, safe, and sanitary not later than the end of the one year period beginning on the date on which he receives from the Federal agency final payment of all costs of the acquired dwelling, or on the date on which he moves from the acquired dwelling, whichever is the later date.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2012 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 112–141 effective 2 years after the date of enactment of Pub. L. 112–141, see section 1521(g) of Pub. L. 112–141, set out as a note under section 308 of Title 23, Highways.

Effective Date

of 1987 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–17 effective on

Effective Date

provided in

Regulations

promulgated under section 4633 of this title (as amended by section 412 of Pub. L. 100–17), but not later than 2 years after Apr. 2, 1987, see section 418 of Pub. L. 100–17, set out as a note under section 4601 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 4623

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73