(a) General. The Postal Service carries out an advisory assistance program for displaced persons.
(b) Relocation Information. The Postal Service must contact each displaced person to provide an informational statement outlining the assistance available to the particular person. If it is impracticable to contact the displaced persons personally, the informational statement must be mailed to the persons, certified mail, return receipt requested.
(c) Time of Initial Contact to Provide Relocation Information. The initial contact to provide relocation information must take place by the following dates:
(1) Where acquisition of the property is to occur as a result of the exercise or the threat of the exercise of eminent domain, at the time of initiation of negotiation or within 30 days thereafter.
(2) In any other instance such contact must be made prior to acquisition and prior to the notice of displacement or the notice to vacate, but it should normally not be made prior to contracting for the acquisition.
(d) Service to be Provided. The advisory program shall include such services as may be necessary or appropriate to:
(1) Provide current information on the availability, purchase prices, financing, and rental costs of replacement dwellings.
(2) For displaced persons eligible for replacement housing payments, explain that the displaced person cannot be required to move unless at least one comparable replacement dwelling is made available.
(i) At the request of the displaced person, the Postal Service must inform that person, in writing, of the specific comparable replacement dwelling used as the basis for the replacement housing payment offer, the price or rent used to establish the upper limit of that offer, the basis for the determination, and the amount of the replacement housing payment to which he or she may be entitled.
(ii) Where feasible, housing must be inspected by the Postal Service representative prior to its being made available to assure that it is a comparable replacement dwelling and meets the decent, safe, and sanitary standard. The displaced person must be notified that a replacement housing payment will not be made unless the replacement dwelling is inspected and determined to be decent, safe, and sanitary.
(iii) Whenever possible, minority displaced persons must be given reasonable opportunities to relocate to comparable dwellings, not located in an area of minority concentration, that are within their financial means. This policy, however, does not require the Postal Service to provide a person a larger payment than is necessary to enable that person to relocate to a comparable replacement dwelling.
(iv) All displaced persons, especially the elderly and handicapped, must be offered transportation to inspect housing to which they are referred.
(3) Provide current and continuing information on the availability, purchase prices, and rental costs of comparable and suitable commercial and farm properties and locations, and assist any person displaced from a business or farm operation to obtain and become established in a suitable replacement location.
(4) Minimize hardships to displaced persons in adjusting to relocation by providing counseling, advice about other sources of assistance that may be available, and such other help as may be appropriate.
(5) Supply displaced persons with appropriate information concerning Federal, State, and local housing programs, disaster loan and other programs administered by the Small Business Administration, and other Federal, State, and local programs offering assistance to displaced persons.
(6) Upon selection of a replacement property by a displaced person, the Postal Service may arrange for a representative to assist the displaced person with necessary arrangements for the move.