25 CFR § 700.187 - Utilization of replacement home benefits.

The Commission shall assure that all eligible heads of household receive a decent, safe and sanitary replacement dwelling in the following manner:

(a) If the eligible head of household owns no dwelling other than that on the area from which he or she must move pursuant to the Act, the Commission will make funds available to the head of household as provided in these regulations for the acquisition of a replacement home in one of the following manners:

(1) Purchase of an existing home, by the head of household,

(2) Construction of a home by the head of household,

(3) Participation or purchase by the head of household in a mutual help housing or other home ownership project under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 888, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 1401) or in any other federally assisted housing program.

(b) If the eligible head of household owns or is buying or building a home in an area other than the area from which he or she must move pursuant to the Act, the Commission will expend relocation benefits in one of the following manners:

(1) If the home is decent, safe, and sanitary, but is encumbered by a mortgage, such mortgage existing as of the effective date of these regulations, the Commission will expend replacement housing benefits up to the maximum then existing benefit to accelerate to the maximum extent possible the achievement by that household of debt-free home ownership.

(2) If the home is owned free and clear but does not meet Commission decent, safe, and sanitary standards, the Commission will, at its discretion, either:

(i) Expend replacement home benefits for improvements to assure the home meets decent, safe, and sanitary standards, or

(ii) Expend replacement home benefits for the acquisition of a replacement dwelling as if the eligible head of household or spouse did not own a home as in paragraph (a) of this section.

(3) If the home is neither owned free and clear nor decent, safe, and sanitary, the Commission will, at its discretion, either:

(i) Expend replacement home benefits for improvements to assure that the home meets decent, safe, and sanitary standards, and to accelerate to the maximium extent possible the achievement of debt-free home ownership, or

(ii) Expend replacement home benefits for the acquisition of a replacement dwelling as if the eligible head of household or spouse did not own a home as in paragraph (a) of this section.

(4) If the home is decent, safe, and sanitary, and is owned free and clear, no replacement home benefits will be paid.

(c) Home improvements shall include the following: General repairs, painting and texturing, fencing—including corrals, landscaping, grading, room additions, re-modeling, roofing, insulating, repair or improvements to the water, sewerage, cooling, heating, or electrical systems, storage buildings, energy conservation measures, and other home improvements as determined and defined by the Commission.

(d) In implementing these regulations the Commission will encourage the use of innovative energy or other technologies in order to achieve the minimum monthly housing cost feasible for each replacement house.