Chapter Adm 92

Adm 92.01(8) (8) “Comparable replacement dwelling” means a dwelling which is currently available to the displaced person and, when compared with the dwelling being acquired:

Adm 92.01(8)(a) (a) Is adequate for the person and is decent, safe and sanitary under s. Adm 92.04.

Adm 92.01(8)(b) (b) Is functionally equivalent and substantially the same as the acquired dwelling, with respect to:

Adm 92.01(8)(b)1. 1. Area of habitable living space, number and size of rooms and closets, and the size and utility of any garage or outbuilding within the immediate surrounding yard;

Adm 92.01(8)(b)2. 2. Type of construction, age and state of repair;

Adm 92.01(8)(b)3. 3. In an area not less desirable than the acquired dwelling with respect to public utilities, public and commercial facilities and neighborhood conditions, including schools and municipal services, and is accessible to the person’s place of employment;

Adm 92.01(8)(c) (c) Is available to the person regardless of sex, race, color, disability, religion, national origin, sex or marital status of the person maintaining a household, legal sources of income, age, ancestry, sexual orientation or other applicable federal, state or local fair housing laws.

Adm 92.01 Note Note: The comparable must be available to the person being displaced. For example, a dwelling may not be selected as a comparable for a family with children, when the owner does not rent to families with children.

Adm 92.01(8)(d) (d) Is available within the financial means of the displaced person.

Adm 92.01(9) (9) “Comparable replacement farm operation” means a replacement farm operation currently available to a displaced person and, when compared to the acquired farm operation:

Adm 92.01(9)(a) (a) Meets applicable federal, state or local codes;

Adm 92.01(9)(b) (b) Is adequate for the needs of the farmer and suited for the same type of farm operation;

Adm 92.01(9)(c) (c) Is similar in major characteristics and functionally equivalent with respect to:

Adm 92.01(9)(c)1. 1. Type of farm operation, condition, and state of repair of farm buildings;

Adm 92.01(9)(c)2. 2. Soil quality, yield per acre, land area, transportation access necessary for the farm operation, utilities and public services;

Adm 92.01(9)(d) (d) Is in an area free of adverse environmental conditions which may cause significant impairment of the farm operation;

Adm 92.01(9)(e) (e) Is within reasonable proximity of the acquired farm operation to the extent necessary for the farm operation.

Adm 92.01(10) (10) “Conventional financing” means, for determining a down payment assistance payment, a loan or promissory note secured by a mortgage made by a financial institution and not insured or guaranteed by an agency of the state or federal government, or any other private insurer.

Adm 92.01(11) (11) “Department” means the Wisconsin department of administration.

Adm 92.01(12) (12) “Direct loss of property” means a compensable moving expense, in addition to an expense incurred in a move of other property, payable to a displaced business or farm operation, for direct loss of tangible personal property used in a moved or discontinued operation and which is sold or abandoned rather than moved, after attempting to sell.

Adm 92.01(13) (13) “Displacing agency” means a condemnor, state agency, political subdivision of the state, developer or any other person carrying out a public project that causes a person to be a displaced person. An agency vested with eminent domain power under ch. 32, Stats., acquiring real property in whole or in part for a public project, is a displacing agency, regardless of whether or not any or all of the statutory or procedural steps necessary to exercise such power have been taken, or whether the property is acquired by negotiated purchase or by eminent domain. In a project being carried out by a person or entity without eminent domain power, the condemnor, state agency or political subdivision of the state that is the principal public funding source for the project, shall ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

Adm 92.01(14) (14) 

Adm 92.01(14)(a) (a) “Displaced person” means any person who moves from real property or moves personal property from real property:

Adm 92.01(14)(a)1. 1. As a direct result of a written notice of intent to deny possession or use of rented property or to purchase real property, the initiation of negotiations for, or the purchase of, such real property by a displacing agency, in whole or in part, for a public project. A person is also considered to have moved because of the purchase when the person occupies a property at the time of initiation of negotiations, but moves before acquisition, if the property is subsequently acquired;

Adm 92.01(14)(a)2. 2. As a result of denial of possession or use by the owner in anticipation of acquisition by an agency, if the removal is unrelated to a material breach of a rental agreement by the tenant. A substantial and unwarranted rent increase before acquisition by an agency shall be considered denial or use by the owner; or

Adm 92.01(14)(a)3. 3. As a result of property rehabilitation, conversion, demolition, or other related displacing activity, provided the person is:

Adm 92.01(14)(a)3.a. a. A tenant occupant who will be permanently displaced and has not been offered a reasonable opportunity to occupy a suitable, decent, safe and sanitary dwelling in the same or a nearby building with actual reasonable moving cost of the move being paid by the displacing agency; or

Adm 92.01(14)(a)3.b. b. A tenant occupant in a federally assisted project who is unable to continue occupancy in the displacement dwelling under terms and conditions that are reasonable as specified by the federal funding agency.

Adm 92.01(14)(b) (b) “Displaced person” does not include, among others:

Adm 92.01(14)(b)1. 1. A person who moves before initiation of negotiations, unless the agency determines the person was displaced by the project;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)2. 2. A person who initially occupies the affected property after the date of its acquisition by the agency;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)3. 3. A person who has occupied the property for the express purpose of obtaining relocation benefits under this chapter;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)4. 4. A tenant-occupant of a dwelling who has been promptly notified that he or she will not be displaced by the project, provided that, if a temporary move is necessary, the temporary replacement dwelling is decent, safe and sanitary and the tenant is compensated for actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with a temporary move, including moving costs to and from the temporary dwelling, any increased rent or utility costs, and other reasonable expenses incurred;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)5. 5. A person who, after receiving a notice of relocation eligibility, is subsequently notified in writing that the person will not be displaced for the project. Such notice shall not be issued unless the person has not moved, the agency provides compensation for any expenses incurred up to the time the no displacement notice is issued and the agency withdraws any attempt to acquire the property or carry out the project affecting the property;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)6. 6. An owner-occupant who voluntarily sells a property after being informed in writing that the agency will not acquire the property by condemnation if a mutually satisfactory agreement of sale is not obtainable. In such cases, however, any tenants who occupy the property are displaced persons under this chapter;

Adm 92.01 Note Note: The agency may be required to obtain a waiver of relocation assistance under s. Adm 92.12.

Adm 92.01(14)(b)7. 7. An owner-occupant who voluntarily sells a property to a displacing agency not vested with eminent domain power;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)8. 8. A person who voluntarily retains the right of use and occupancy of the real property for life following its acquisition by the agency;

Adm 92.01(14)(b)9. 9. A person who is determined to be in unlawful occupancy of the property or has been evicted for cause under applicable law before initiation of negotiations for the property. Unlawful occupancy is defined under s. Adm 92.01 (42).

Adm 92.01(14)(b)10. 10. A person who is a non-occupant owner of commercial or residential property that is rented to others, except that such owner may qualify for actual and reasonable moving expenses under s. Adm 92.52.

Adm 92.01(14)(b)11. 11. For projects that do not receive federal funds and properties that do not involve an outdoor advertising sign or an outdoor advertising company tenant, a tenant who is allowed to occupy leased premises to the end of the term of the lease, or for 180 days, or for a period of time equal to one-half of the term of the lease, or for a period of time determined by the condemnor, whichever of these four alternatives is longer.

Adm 92.01(15) (15) “Dwelling” means a single family house, a single family unit in a duplex, multi-family or multi-purpose property, a condominium or cooperative housing unit, a sleeping room, a mobile home, or other residential unit.

Adm 92.01(16) (16) “Economic rent” means the rent for a property similar to and in the same area as an acquired property.

Adm 92.01(17) (17) “Eminent domain” means a right of government and others under s. 32.02, Stats., permitting a taking of private property for a public purpose with payment of just compensation.

Adm 92.01(18) (18) “Existing patronage” means the business from specific clientele or as evidenced by an annual net income during the 2 taxable years preceding the taxable year of an acquisition or during a more equitable period determined by an agency. The patronage for a nonprofit organization includes persons, clientele and community served or affected by the organization.

Adm 92.01(19) (19) “Farm operation” means an activity conducted mainly for the production of one or more agricultural products or commodities, or timber, for sale or home use, and customarily producing these in sufficient quantity to contribute materially to a person’s support.

Adm 92.01(20) (20) “Financial means” means the standard for determining if a dwelling is affordable. A replacement or comparable dwelling is within a person’s financial means when, as an owner, the monthly housing costs, including payments for mortgage, insurance, utilities and property taxes, or, as a tenant, monthly rent including comparable utility costs, minus any replacement housing payment available to a person under this chapter, does not exceed 30% of average monthly income. In lieu of the 30% of income standard in this subsection, a comparable dwelling may also be considered to be within a person’s financial means if:

Adm 92.01(20)(a) (a) Owner-occupant. The acquisition price of the comparable replacement dwelling does not exceed the sum of the payment for the acquired dwelling and the comparable replacement housing payment available under this chapter.

Adm 92.01(20)(b) (b) Tenant-occupant. The monthly rent of the comparable replacement does not exceed the monthly rent at the displacement dwelling, after taking into account any rental assistance payment available under this chapter.

Adm 92.01(21) (21) “Initiation of negotiations” means:

Adm 92.01(21)(a) (a) In acquisition projects, the date a displacing agency, or its representative, initially contacts an owner of real property, or the owner’s representative and makes a written monetary offer to purchase the property; or

Adm 92.01(21)(b) (b) In rehabilitation, code enforcement or related non-acquisition projects, the date a displacing agency makes its initial funding or other commitment to the project which may cause the displacement of an occupant, or the date a person receives actual or constructive notice that the person will be displaced, whichever is earlier, unless a different action or date is specified in applicable federal program regulations.

Adm 92.01 Note Note: Initiation of negotiations does not generally include a situation where the agency obtains only a first right of refusal to acquire that does not also include a monetary offer or establishment of a purchase price and where the agency is not otherwise committed to the acquisition of the property.

Adm 92.01(21)(c) (c) “Initiation of negotiations” does not include:

Adm 92.01(21)(c)1. 1. Entering into a lease, including a lease with an option to purchase.

Adm 92.01(21)(c)2. 2. Responding to an offer to sell property and negotiating for the purchase of the property, when the offer does not involve the involuntary displacement of any occupant of the property and the agency is not implementing a project to acquire the property.

Adm 92.01(21)(c)3. 3. Obtaining a right of first refusal to acquire that does not also include a monetary offer or establishment of a purchase price and does not otherwise commit the agency to the acquisition of the property.

Adm 92.01(22) (22) “Mortgage” means a lien given to secure an advance for the unpaid purchase price of real property, together with a credit instrument secured thereby.

Adm 92.01(23) (23) “Moving expense-actual” means an actual and reasonable expense necessary to move a person and personal property including charges by public utilities for starting service, storage of property up to 12 months, and necessary temporary lodging and transportation.

Adm 92.01(24) (24) “Moving expense-fixed payment” means an alternate payment for moving. A payment for an occupant of a dwelling is based on a room schedule plus a dislocation allowance. A fixed payment for a business or farm operation is based on average annual net earnings and may not be less than $1,000 nor more than $20,000.

Adm 92.01(25) (25) “Nonprofit organization” means a corporation, partnership, individual or other public or private entity, engaged in a legal business, professional or instructional activity on a nonprofit basis and having fixtures, equipment, stock in trade or other tangible property on the premises and established as a nonprofit organization under federal or state law.

Adm 92.01(26) (26) “Owner” means a person who has an interest in a dwelling or real property to be acquired by a displacing agency in the form of the following:

Adm 92.01(26)(a) (a) A fee title or life estate;

Adm 92.01(26)(b) (b) An interest in cooperative housing including a right to occupy a dwelling;

Adm 92.01(26)(c) (c) A contract purchaser of any of the estates or interests under this subsection;

Adm 92.01(26)(d) (d) A mobile home on a permanent foundation, or a mobile home which is not decent, safe and sanitary, and cannot be moved without substantial damage or unreasonable cost or there are no replacement sites to where it can be moved;

Adm 92.01(26)(e) (e) An interest other than under this subsection which is considered ownership by an agency or the department;

Adm 92.01(26)(f) (f) Has succeeded to any of the interests under this subsection by devise, bequest, inheritance or operation of law, except the tenure of ownership, not occupancy, of a succeeding owner shall include the tenure of a preceding owner.

Adm 92.01(27) (27) “Owner-occupant, residential”, means a person, who is the owner of a property being acquired and occupies a dwelling on the property as a primary residence.

Adm 92.01(28) (28) “Owner-occupant, business”, means a person who is an owner of a property being acquired, and is also the owner and operator of a business or farm operation which was conducted on the property for at least one year before initiation of negotiations to purchase the property or the date of vacation when given a notice of intent to acquire, whichever is earlier.

Adm 92.01(29) (29) “Person” means an individual, family, partnership, corporation, association, business or farm operation, or non profit organization under this chapter. Two or more persons who are tenants of the same dwelling shall be treated as one person.

Adm 92.01(30) (30) “Personal property” means tangible property located on real property but not acquired by an agency.

Adm 92.01(31) (31) “Prepaid expense” means an item paid in advance by a seller of real property and prorated between a seller and buyer at the time of closing on a property including property tax, insurance, assessment, fuel and utilities, and others.

Adm 92.01(32) (32) “Primary residence” means a dwelling occupied as a customary and usual place of residence but not a vacation dwelling. It is occupied by a person for a substantial period of time before initiation of negotiations. It is evidenced by place of voter registration, address on a tax return, mailing address, rent receipt, proximity to work, school, utility and phone bill or other evidence acceptable to an agency.

Adm 92.01(32m) (32m) “Public financial assistance” means direct funding received from a public entity. An authority which uses its own funds for a project is not receiving “public financial assistance.” 

Adm 92.01(33) (33) 

Adm 92.01(33)(a) (a) “Public project” means, in addition to a project being carried out directly by a public entity, an activity or program directly receiving public financial assistance including a grant, loan or contribution. Unless otherwise covered under federal relocation regulations, such assistance must be at least $25,000 in a project having total costs of less than $50,000 or at least 50% in a project having total costs of $50,000 or more, and involve one or more of the following activities:

Adm 92.01(33)(a)1. 1. Real property acquisition;

Adm 92.01(33)(a)2. 2. Housing or commercial rehabilitation or conversion;

Adm 92.01(33)(a)3. 3. Demolition within a designated redevelopment or blight removal area established by formal local government action on or after April 2, 1989; or

Adm 92.01(33)(a)4. 4. Another related public construction or improvement project receiving federal financial assistance covered under federal relocation regulation.

Adm 92.01(33)(b) (b) “Public project” does not include, among others:

Adm 92.01(33)(b)1. 1. Any public guarantee or insurance;

Adm 92.01(33)(b)2. 2. Any interest reduction payment or loan to an individual in connection with the purchase and occupancy of a property by the individual.

Adm 92.01(33)(b)3. 3. Acquisition of property under tax foreclosure proceedings, provided a tenant-occupant is not displaced for a public project related to the acquisition;

Adm 92.01(33)(b)4. 4. Direct acquisition by a federal agency carrying out a federal program or project;

Adm 92.01(33)(b)5. 5. Demolition activity accomplished on a random basis if there is no planned public project for the property affected; or

Adm 92.01(33)(b)6. 6. A private project which is able to proceed as a result of governmental zoning changes, variances or related actions.

Adm 92.01(34) (34) “Real property” means land and improvements on and to the land, estates in land, and fixtures or other personal property directly connected with the land.