Uniform Relocation Act

The City of Corvallis offers loans to assist qualified low-income home buyers with down payment and closing costs for homes purchased within city limits. These loans are federally-funded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and require recipients to comply with the Uniform Relocation Act (URA). The URA establishes minimum standards for programs involving acquisition of real property and possible displacement of individuals.

Important: Properties recently or currently used as a rental may be disqualified from the First Time Home Buyer program based on the URA. Contact the Corvallis Housing and Neighborhood Services Division before proceeding under this circumstance.

URA Requirements

• Seller must attest that the sale of the property is a voluntary transaction. A URA notice is used to obtain this voluntary attestation. The notice is available online or by contact the Housing and Neighborhood Services Division. The notice should be submitted with the offer.
• A market analysis completed by a licensed real estate broker or an appraisal valuation must be provided to the Housing and Neighborhood Services Division before a loan application can be approved.
• The sales contract must include conditions that state the seller understands they are not eligible for relocation payments or assistance.
• If the property was built before 1978, lead-based paint requirements will apply.

BEFORE You Make an Offer

• Notify your real estate agent and lender of the URA requirements as soon as possible.
• Provide a copy of the URA notice to your real estate agent.
• Work with your real estate agent to prepare th notice for submittal to the seller.
• Submit the URA notice before or with your offer for a signature from the seller.
• Return the signed URA notice to the Housing and Neighborhood Services Division. A loan application will not advance until the URA notice is received.

Important: If an offer is made without a URA notice included, you may be able to provide a post-offer notice, but additional requirements are imposed. This includes providing the seller with an opportunity to withdraw from the transaction without penalty. Contact the Housing and Neighborhood Services Division to obtain a post-offer URA notice.