Disregard ‘relocation’ payments received by an applicant/participant through the Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1970 when determining the amount of Available Resources or Cash and Securities. Section 216 of Public Law 91-646 states that payments to help a recipient resettle when property purchased by the State Highway Department or property purchased under the Housing Act causes an assistance recipient to relocate may not be considered in determining eligibility for public assistance.
EXAMPLE: The Missouri Department of Transportation purchases Mr. Jones’ property for $12,500. In addition to the purchase price, they pay him $6,000 under the Uniform Relocation Assistance Act to help him relocate. Disregard the ‘relocation’ payment ($6,000) when determining eligibility.
When funds of the Uniform Relocation Assistance Act are received to supplement rent or because the applicant/participant’s home has been purchased and the applicant/participant must move, the recipient may take the money in a lump sum for a contractual period of from one to four years. Determine from the contract the amount of payment received and the period of time it is intended to cover. This may need to be verified by the Relocation Authority Office. Exempt this amount from being counted as cash and securities and available resources only so long as it is maintained in a separate account and only for the length of the contractual period.
If at the end of the contractual period there is still money left in this account, consider it as cash and securities. These funds must be entered in FAMIS on the Liquid Resource (FMW0) screen with the MHABD Excl Rsn = UR UNIFORM RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
EXAMPLE: An applicant/participant, who has been paying $50 per month rent, is relocated in living quarters costing $100 per month rent. The applicant/participant would be eligible for a lump sum relocation payment of $2400 to cover a contractual four year period. The applicant/participant has the option of getting the $2400in payments of $600 per year or a $2400 lump sum payment. In either situation, the money has to be deposited in a separate account or else must be considered as cash and securities.
NOTE: If the relocation funds are used to purchase property which is later sold within the contractual period, any money from the sale of that property immediately becomes a resource.
Payments made as a result of condemnation or eminent domain procedures are not included in the Uniform Relocation Assistance Act. These situations must be treated according to the policy covering Evaluation of Cash Received from Involuntary Conversion of Real Property into Personal Property.