|
REALTY DIGEST WINTER/SPRING 2023
|
|
|
Welcome to the Federal Highway Administration Office of Real Estate Services biannual email Newsletter Digest. This publication shares information relative to the Realty program areas, including program policy and guidance, regulation updates and best practices. The full articles can be accessed by clicking each article heading.
Forward this information to others who may be interested in topics relating to Realty.
|
|
It is a very busy time to be at FHWA and the Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) as many changes and transitions are underway, most notably, implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). You can read more about BIL implementation, and its relevance to the realty world, in this edition.
HEPR also has several new team members who bring an extensive amount of experience to the office in a variety of real estate program areas, and we’re thrilled to have them join the team! Be sure to read more about these new team members in the Staff Updates section.
In October of last year, I traveled to Jackson, Mississippi to speak at a regional forum of the International Right of Way Association (IRWA). It was great to meet with the FHWA Realty Specialist, Rick Mangrum, who was a tremendous host, and meet several members of Mississippi DOT’s Right of Way Division, all of whom impressed me with their strong commitment to their work and the Right of Way discipline. I plan to do more travel like this in 2023 and look forward to meeting more realty staff at FHWA and our partner agencies and to learning more about activities in the field.
Speaking of travel, IRWA has announced that they are bringing back the Federal Agency Update as part of their International Education Conference, which will be held in Denver in June of 2023. Several Federal agencies, including FHWA, have already agreed to participate and hold sessions. I am excited about this opportunity to share information about several key FHWA initiatives, and I hope to see many of you there! If you work for a Federal agency that is interested in participating, please contact Peter Clark (Peter.Clark@dot.gov) and he will put you in touch with the relevant contact person at IRWA.
Finally, I want the Realty Digest to be as informative and relevant as possible, which means we need to hear from those of you that are implementing the program in the field! In that spirit, if you have topics that you’d like to see covered in future editions of this newsletter, or if you’re interested in writing an article as a guest contributor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Carolyn James at Carolyn.James@dot.gov.
And as always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance!
Nic Thornton
Nic can be reached at Nicholas.Thornton@dot.gov.
|
|
|
|
The newly enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Public Law 117-58) provides billions in federal infrastructure investment over fiscal years 2020-2026 including transportation programs. Particularly, the BIL allocates $350 billion through existing and new FHWA programs focused on key infrastructure (e.g., bridges, electric vehicle infrastructure, broadband, species management on the right-of-way (ROW)) as well as creating more opportunities for local governments and other entities to apply. Many new and existing BIL programs authorize capital investment and may require ROW acquisitions. As such, FHWA’s Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) will continue carrying out its stewardship and oversight to ensure that the real estate alongside highways is managed in a way that enhances communities and protects the environment.
Additional and updated information of the BIL programs, funding, and technical assistance can be found on Build.gov and the FHWA BIL webpage. See the full article for more details.
Federally funded programs or projects which are designed to benefit the public often need to acquire private property in order to develop facilities and infrastructure, which sometimes results in the displacement of individuals from their homes, businesses, or farms. The Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Uniform Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4601 et seq.) provides protections and assistance for people that are relocated due to federally funded projects. In 1987, Congress designated the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as the Federal Lead Agency for the Uniform Act, a role filled by FHWA's Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR). Duties include the development, issuance, and maintenance of the government-wide regulations, providing technical assistance to other Federal agencies, and reporting to Congress on these programs and activities. Two key upcoming pieces of technical assistance that HEPR offers for Uniform Act practitioners include a Uniform Act Conference, tentatively scheduled for February 2024, and a new NHI training course, “Basic Residential Relocation Under the Uniform Act.”
See the full article for more details. For more information on the Uniform Act Conference, contact Peter Clark at Peter.Clark@dot.gov. For more information on the NHI training course, contact Melissa Corder at Melissa.Corder@dot.gov.
|
|
|
The FHWA’s Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) provides annual Realty Discipline Awards to outstanding staff members. The award categories include Realty Partnership, Peer-to-Peer, and Realty Specialist of the Year. Brian Hasselbach, Deputy Division Administrator for the Montana Division, and Edward Woolford, Realty Specialist from the Utah Division, are the recipients of the Realty Partnership Award. Maggie Duncan-Augustt, from the Office of Real Estate Services Headquarters Office, was recognized with the Peer-to-Peer award. The Realty Specialist of the Year was awarded to Neosha Lawhorn from the Georgia Division.
See the full article for more details. For more information, contact Carolyn James at Carolyn.James@dot.gov.
|
|
|
FHWA’s Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) develops and implements programs and activities to advance the fair, equitable and consistent acquisition and management of real property.
This new topic section will profile HEPR’s ongoing research activities. See the full article to learn about two of HEPR’s research activities on Alternative Uses of the Right-of-Way and the Federal Lands Transfer Process.
For more information on Alternative Uses of the Right-of-Way, contact Lindsey Svendsen at Lindsey.S.Svendsen@dot.gov. For more information on the Federal Lands Transfer Process, contact Carolyn James at Carolyn.James@dot.gov.
|
|
Editor: Carolyn James - Co-Editor: Nicholas Thornton |
|
|
|
|
