Section 2: Allowable Moving Expenses - Residential
Overview
When moving on an actual cost basis, consider the following
items in this section as eligible moving expenses, if determined
to be reasonable and necessary.
Personalty
Costs, including packing and unpacking, for moving personalty
lawfully located on the site from which it is moved not to exceed
50 miles, unless TxDOT determines that relocation beyond 50 miles
is justified and has prior approval from the ROW PD Manager.
Personal Transportation
Costs for transporting residential displacees to the new location
are eligible moving expenses. Reimburse these costs at the current
TxDOT rate, or, if commercial transportation is used, reimbursement
can be for reasonable actual fees. Costs for special personal services,
such as ambulance transportation for invalid displacees, are eligible.
Removal and Reinstallation
Costs for disconnecting, dismantling, removing, reassembling,
and reinstalling displaced household appliances and other personalty
are eligible moving expenses.
Storage
Prior to the move, the ROW PD Manager may approve requests for personalty storage
when the process of relocating from the acquired site to the replacement site is delayed for reasons beyond the control of the displaced person. The necessity for such
storage must be documented in ROW PD project
files. Durations of storage approved by the ROW PD Manager should be for a reasonable and necessary amount of time, not to exceed 12 months , starting at the date of vacation from the acquired site and ending when the replacement site be-comes available
. Costs for personalty storage exceeding 12 months require approval by the ROW Program Office. Costs for storing personalty on the remainder of real property being acquired, or on other property owned or leased by the displacee or a member of his/her family, are not eligible.
Animal boarding is not considered personalty storage.Rental Application Assistance
Rental Application Assistance
A displaced tenant is entitled to reasonable reimbursement for actual expenses not to exceed $1,000, incurred for rental replacement dwelling application fees or credit reports required to lease a replacement dwelling. Documentation to support the reimbursement will be required.
Temporary Lodgings and Meals
The ROW PD Manager may approve reimbursement
of the reasonable costs of temporary lodgings and meals, for up
to 14 days, when it is determined, before the move, that such costs
are necessary. The necessity of incurring such costs must be documented
in ROW PD files. Reimbursement for costs incurred in excess of 14
days may be approved by the ROW Program Office on
a case by case basis. Costs for lodging displacees in vacation quarters
or resort facilities outside the relocation area are not eligible.
Costs for temporary lodgings and meals in other property owned by
the displacee or rented by him for other purposes are also ineligible.
Insurance
Costs for insurance premiums covering loss or damage of personalty
while in storage or transit are eligible expenses; however, the
coverage amount must not exceed reasonable replacement value of the
moved property.
Losses in Moving
Reasonable replacement value of property lost, stolen, or
damaged in the moving process when insurance covering such loss,
theft, or damage is not readily available is an eligible expense.
However, property lost, stolen or damaged through the fault or negligence
of the displacee, displacee’s agent, or employees
is ineligible.
Utilities
Costs for utility and telephone hookup charges are eligible;
however, refundable service deposits are not eligible.
Moving Estimates
Moving Estimates
Costs incurred by TxDOT for obtaining moving estimates should not exceed two estimates per move. If the two estimates are incompatible, a third estimate may be obtained provided the need for such estimate is documented in TxDOT files. In complex or unusual moves, when it is determined that advertising is the only means of securing estimates of the costs for packing, transporting, and unpacking, or for other necessary services, the advertising expense is eligible.
Mobile Homes
Eligible costs are as follows:
- reasonable costs for disassembling, moving, reassembling, and anchoring any attached structures (such as porches, decks, skirting and awnings) that are not acquired by TxDOT as real property;
- reasonable costs for repairs or modifications, determined necessary by TxDOT, for moving the mobile home to a replacement site; and
- non-returnable mobile home park entrance fees, unless TxDOT determines that a comparable mobile home park is available which does not require an entrance fee.
Other Expenses
Costs not specifically listed as ineligible in
and determined by TxDOT to be reasonable and necessary.