Opinion ID: 2630598
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970

Text: The United States Congress enacted the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 [4] to establish a uniform policy for the fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced as a direct result of programs or projects undertaken by a Federal agency or with Federal financial assistance. [5] The Act requires a state agency to comply with the Act's policies whenever the agency seeks federal financial assistance for any program or project which will result in the acquisition of real property on and after January 2, 1971. [6] NRS 342.105 In 1989, the Nevada Legislature enacted NRS 342.105. This statute provides, in relevant part: Any department, agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of this state, or any other public or private entity, which is subject to the provisions of the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4601-4655, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto, and which undertakes any project that results in the acquisition of real property or in a person being displaced from his home, business or farm, shall ... follow such procedures and practices as are necessary to comply with those federal requirements. [7] The Nevada statute references the federal Act and the regulations adopted pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the federal Act and the regulations are incorporated into Nevada's statute and remain so, as long as the federal Act is in force. [8] Furthermore, by making reference to the Act, should the United States Congress again, in the future, amend the Uniform Relocation Act, [Nevada] would automatically be in compliance without having to readjust the state statutes. [9] The City is a political subdivision of the State. Therefore, the City is subject to NRS 342.105. The City is currently in the process of acquiring real property for the ReTRAC project. ReTRAC is being financed, in part, by federal funds. Thus, the City must comply with the Act and its regulations that were adopted by reference in NRS 342.105. Furthermore, the City is also under a contractual obligation to comply with the requirements of the Act and NRS 342.105 because compliance with the Act was an express term of the Cooperative (Stewardship) Agreement entered into by the City.