City of Hornell, NY Urban Renewal Agency

The Department of Development and the Hornell Urban Renewal Agency have a Relocation Office in the Department of Development, City Hall, to administer all relocation activities in the City of Hornell. The office is staffed by trained, competent personnel, sensitive to human relationships, with the necessary skills to assist individuals, families and business concerns that are to be displaced.

§ 80-2 Responsibilities.

The Department of Development and the Relocation Office will be responsible for administering the relocation program as follows:

Information will be provided at the earliest possible date as to the availability of relocation payments and assistance and the eligibility requirements therefor, as well as the procedures for obtaining such payments and assistance.

A direct personal interview will be arranged to determine the extent of the need of each eligible person for relocation assistance.

Current and continuing information on the availability, prices and rentals of comparable sales and rental housing and of comparable commercial and industrial properties and locations will be made available.

Assurances will be provided that, within a reasonable period of time prior to displacement, there will be comparable, decent, safe and sanitary replacement housing available to eligible persons who will be displaced.

Assistance will be provided to eligible persons displaced from a business in obtaining and becoming established in a suitable replacement location.

Displaced persons will be furnished information concerning federal and state housing programs, disaster loans and other programs administered by the Small Business Administration and other federal or state programs offering assistance to displaced persons.

Advisory services will be provided to eligible persons, such as counseling and referrals with regard to housing, financing, employment, training, health, welfare and other relocation-related matters in order to minimize hardships.

Assistance will be provided in completing any required applications and forms.

Information will be provided to persons expected to be displaced by acquisition regarding agency eviction policies and temporary rental agreements.

All relocation housing resources to be utilized by displaced persons prior to and subsequent to occupancy by such persons will be inspected by city personnel.

Assurances will be provided that the relocation process does not result in different or separate treatment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or source of income.

All displaced persons, prior to their relocation, will be furnished an informational statement as early as practicable containing all information required in the Department of Housing and Urban Development Relocation Handbook, Chapter 2, Section 2, pages 2 through 14.

The city/agency grievance procedure for use by displaced persons seeking administrative review of city/agency determinations in connection with relocation payments and/or the adequacy of replacement housing shall be furnished to each displaced person.

§ 80-3 Coordination of activities.

The city/agency relocation staff will coordinate local relocation activities with other federal, state or governmental agencies to determine the extent of any present or proposed actions that may affect the availability of appropriate housing resources. All necessary steps will be taken to effectuate complete coordination and cooperation with other agencies to assure that relocation assistance and relocation payments are administered uniformly to persons displaced by all programs within the city. The steps will include contact, informational meetings and discussions with other governmental agencies.

§ 80-4 Relocation review and process.

The staging of all relocation activities will assure the availability of comparable, decent, safe and sanitary replacement housing adequate in size and cost at the time that displacement occurs. To accomplish this, the city/agency will determine the needs and resources of all families, individuals and business concerns to be displaced by personal interview, counseling and referral to other service agencies. The city/agency will also provide assistance to persons occupying property adjacent to any area that may suffer economic injury as a result of activities to be undertaken even though they will not be replaced.

The city/agency will review and process all payments for relocation benefits to eligible persons within a period of 10 days after submission of a proper claim.

During the relocation process, all persons displaced or otherwise affected by displacement causing activities will be given an opportunity to participate in the development of a relocation plan for that specific area.

Equal opportunity actions, including the affirmative action programs adopted by local realtors and other social, civic and religious groups interested in facilitating freedom of residence, will be fully implemented and monitored during the relocation process.

§ 80-5 Review of program.

The city/agency will evaluate its Relocation Program periodically, assessing both the quality and quantity of services provided. It will also keep the Department of Housing and Urban Development fully informed of the steps it is taking or has taken to improve relocation operations.

§ 80-6 Compliance with other provisions.

The city/agency will comply with the Uniform Relocation Act in all Department of Housing and Urban Development assisted activities involving displacement and will make available to interested persons a copy of the latest Department of Housing and Urban Development relocation policies and procedures.

§ 80-7 Relocation expenses.

Businesses which (prior to April 25, 1977) declared their intent to move, purchased or entered into an agreement to purchase a replacement site and obtained bids for eligible relocation expenses under the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Act will be compensated for physical changes at the replacement site in accordance with the regulations in effect as of the April 25, 1977, date, provided that expenses are reasonable and can be documented.

Any business displaced from a Community Development Block Grant activity after April 25, 1977, shall be provided relocation expenses in accordance with the Uniform Relocation Act, as amended, provided that:

(1)

Said expenses are reasonable and can be documented.

(2)

The claim was prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Act, as amended.

§ 80-8 Costs of changes at replacement site.

The City Council may, at its discretion, exercise its option to make payments for physical changes at a replacement site, provided that the costs are reasonable and can be documented and that the replacement site is located within the corporate limits of the City of Hornell.