Virginia Law

A. In addition to length of occupancy provisions, the displaced person must occupy a decent, safe and sanitary dwelling, as defined in 24VAC30-41-30, within one year, beginning on the following dates:

1. Owner-occupant of 90 days or more. The date on which the owner received payment of the entire consideration for the acquired dwelling in negotiated settlements, or in the case of condemnation, the date on which the certificate was filed and the amount set forth in the certificate was made available for the benefit of the owner.

2. Tenant-occupant of 90 days or more. The date on which the move occurs. An occupancy affidavit (Form RW-62C) shall be secured as evidence of occupancy.

A displaced person who cannot occupy the replacement dwelling within the one-year time period because of construction delays beyond reasonable control, will be considered to have purchased and occupied the dwelling as of the date of the contract to purchase. The replacement housing payment under these conditions may be deferred until replacement housing is actually occupied.

B. Upon relocating, the displacee must properly complete the appropriate application, Library Form RW-65A(1), RW-65B(1), or RW-65C(1) to receive a replacement housing payment and submit them to the district manager. The application must be filed no later than six months after the expiration of the one-year period specified in subdivisions A 1 and A 2 of this section. In condemnation cases the one-year period is extended to six months after final adjudication. The district office must stamp the application to show the date of its receipt. Where husband and wife both hold title to the property, or there is more than one owner-occupant, each owner must sign the application for payment. In the case of tenant-occupants, each must sign the application for payment.

C. The payment may be made directly to the displaced persons whose names are on the application for payment. On written instruction from a tenant-displacee, payment may be made to the lessor for rent. For an owner, payment may be made to the seller or lending agency at closing on the replacement property. If payment is made at closing, it will be personally delivered by a district office employee who will remain present to assure that the full purchase supplement amount is credited to the purchase of the replacement dwelling. If this is performed, the occupancy requirement will be considered met at the completion of closing, providing an occupancy agreement has been signed.