2021-15930. Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally-Assisted Programs; Fixed Payment for Moving Expenses; Residential Moves

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The purpose of this notice is to publish changes in the Fixed Residential Moving Cost Schedule (schedule) for the States and Territories of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, N. Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Virgin Islands, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin as provided for by section 202(b) of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (Uniform Act). The schedule amounts for the States and Territories not listed above remain unchanged. The Uniform Act applies to all programs or projects undertaken by Federal Agencies or with Federal financial assistance that cause the displacement of any person.

DATES:

The provisions of this notice are effective August 26, 2021, or on such earlier date as an agency elects to begin operating under this schedule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Melissa L. Corder, Office of Real Estate Services, [phone], email address: [e-mail]; David Sett, Office of the Chief Counsel, [phone], email address: [e-mail]; Federal Highway Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded from the Office of the Federal Register's website at www.FederalRegister.gov and the Government Publishing Office's website at www.GovInfo.gov.

Background

The Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4601-4655 (Uniform Act), established a program, which includes the payment of moving and related expenses, to assist persons who move because of Federal or federally assisted projects. The FHWA is the lead agency for implementing the provisions of the Uniform Act and has issued governmentwide implementing regulations at 49 CFR part 24.

The following 17 Federal departments and agencies have, by cross-reference, adopted the governmentwide regulations: U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Commerce; U.S. Department of Defense; U.S. Department of Education; U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. General Services Administration; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; U.S. Department of Justice; U.S. Department of Labor; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Tennessee Valley Authority; Federal Emergency Management Agency; U.S. Department of the Interior; and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

42 U.S.C. 4622(b) provides that as an alternative to being paid for actual residential moving and related expenses, a displaced individual or family may elect payment for moving expenses on the basis of a moving expense schedule established by the head of the lead agency. The governmentwide regulations at 49 CFR 24.302 provide that FHWA will develop, approve, maintain, and update this schedule, as appropriate.

The purpose of this notice is to update the schedule published on July 24, 2015, at 80 FR 44182. The schedule is being updated to account for the increased costs associated with moving personal property. The updated amounts are based on review of the respective States' current moving cost market data and any proposed increases to the current schedule amounts as requested from all State highway agencies. This update increases the schedule amounts in the States and Territories of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, N. Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Virgin Islands, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The schedule amounts for the States and Territories not listed above remain unchanged. The payment amounts listed in the table below apply on a State-by-State basis. Two exceptions apply to all States and Territories as referenced in 49 CFR 24.302. Payment is limited to $100.00 if either of the following conditions applies:

(a) A person has minimal possessions and occupies a dormitory style room, or

(b) A person's residential move is performed by an agency at no cost to the person.

The schedule continues to be based on the “number of rooms of furniture” owned by a displaced individual or family. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, and to encourage the use of the schedule (and thereby simplify the computation and payment of moving expenses), an agency should increase the room count for the purpose of applying the schedule if the volume of possessions in a single room or space actually exceeds the normal contents of one room of furniture or other personal property. For example, a basement may count as two rooms if the equivalent of two rooms worth of possessions is located in the basement. In addition, an agency may elect to pay for items stored outside the dwelling unit by adding the appropriate number of rooms.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4622(b) and 4633(b); 49 CFR 1.48 and 24.302.

Stephanie Pollack,

Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.

Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act—Residential Moving Expense and Dislocation Allowance—2021 Payment Schedule

State	1 room	2 rooms	3 rooms	4 rooms	5 rooms	6 rooms	7 rooms	8 rooms	Addt'l room	1 room/ no furn.	Addt'l room no furn.
1. Alabama	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	250	400	100
2. Alaska	850	1100	1350	1625	1875	2075	2300	2500	350	600	250
3. American Samoa	282	395	508	621	706	790	875	960	85	226	28
4. Arizona	700	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	100	395	60
5. Arkansas	650	900	1100	1350	1600	1825	2050	2275	225	450	125
6. California	780	1000	1250	1475	1790	2065	2380	2690	285	510	100
7. Colorado	675	895	1115	1270	1425	1580	1735	1890	155	385	55
8. Connecticut	715	930	1150	1350	1640	1920	2200	2500	175	260	70
9. Delaware	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	150	500	100
10. District of Columbia	800	1000	1200	1500	1700	1900	2100	2300	200	500	100
11. Florida	800	975	1150	1350	1575	1750	1950	2200	325	550	175
12. Georgia	600	975	1300	1600	1875	2125	2325	2525	200	375	100
13. Guam	850	1200	1550	1900	2200	2500	2750	3000	350	300	175
14. Hawaii	850	1200	1550	1900	2200	2500	2750	3000	350	300	175
15. Idaho	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	350	100
16. Illinois	850	1000	1150	1250	1400	1600	1750	2050	450	650	150
17. Indiana	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	400	100
18. Iowa	550	700	800	900	1000	1100	1225	1350	125	500	50
19. Kansas	400	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	200	250	50
20. Kentucky	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	200	400	100
21. Louisiana	600	800	1000	1200	1300	1550	1700	1900	300	400	70
22. Maine	650	900	1150	1400	1650	1900	2150	2400	250	400	100
23. Maryland	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	200	500	100
24. Massachusetts	800	950	1100	1250	1400	1550	1700	1850	250	450	150
25. Michigan	750	1000	1200	1350	1500	1650	1800	1950	300	500	200
26. Minnesota	575	725	925	1125	1325	1525	1725	1925	275	450	150
27. Mississippi	750	850	1000	1200	1400	1550	1700	1850	300	400	100
28. Missouri	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	1500	200	400	100
29. Montana	550	750	950	1150	1350	1550	1750	1950	200	350	100
30. Nebraska	400	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	200	350	50
31. Nevada	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	200	450	150
32. New Hampshire	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	200	150
33. New Jersey	650	750	850	1000	1150	1300	1400	1600	200	200	50
34. New Mexico	650	850	1050	1250	1500	1650	1850	2050	200	400	60
35. New York	675	900	1125	1350	1575	1800	2025	2250	225	400	125
36. North Carolina	550	750	1050	1200	1350	1600	1700	1900	150	350	50
37. North Dakota	550	750	950	1150	1350	1550	1750	1950	200	475	75
38. N. Mariana Is	350	550	700	850	1000	1100	1200	1300	100	300	70
39. Ohio	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	400	100
40. Oklahoma	750	950	1150	1350	1550	1750	1900	2050	200	350	100
41. Oregon	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	350	100
42. Pennsylvania	500	750	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	400	70
43. Puerto Rico	525	725	900	1225	1300	1350	1400	1450	150	300	50
44. Rhode Island	600	850	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	150	300	100
45. South Carolina	700	805	1095	1285	1575	1735	1890	2075	225	500	75
46. South Dakota	500	650	800	950	1100	1250	1400	1600	200	300	100
47. Tennessee	500	750	1000	1250	1500	1750	2000	2250	250	400	100
48. Texas	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1750	1900	150	400	50
49. Utah	750	950	1150	1350	1550	1750	1950	2150	200	600	200
50. Vermont	400	550	650	850	1000	1100	1200	1300	150	300	75
51. Virgin Islands	500	700	900	1050	1200	1350	1500	1700	150	450	100
52. Virginia	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	300	400	75
53. Washington	800	1100	1400	1700	2000	2300	2600	2900	300	500	100
54. West Virginia	750	900	1050	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	400	100
55. Wisconsin	600	825	1050	1275	1500	1725	1950	2175	250	465	115
56. Wyoming	540	800	870	1020	1170	1325	1500	1670	200	370	60
Exceptions: 1. The payment to a person with minimal possessions who is in occupancy of a dormitory style room or whose residential move is performed by an agency at no cost to the person is limited to $100.00.
2. An occupant will be paid on an actual cost basis for moving his or her mobile home from the displacement site. In addition, a reasonable payment to the occupant for packing and securing property for the move may be paid at the agency's discretion.