(a) Acquisition of improvements. When acquiring any interest in real property, the Agency shall offer to acquire at least an equal interest in all buildings, structures, or other improvements located upon the real property to be acquired, which it requires to be removed or which it determines will be adversely affected by the use to which such real property will be put. This shall include any improvement of a tenant-owner who has the right or obligation to remove the improvement at the expiration of the lease term.

(b) Improvements considered to be real property. Any building, structure, or other improvement, which would be considered to be real property if owned by the owner of the real property on which it is located, shall be considered to be real property for purposes of this subpart.

(c) Appraisal and Establishment of Just Compensation for a Tenant-Owned Improvement. Just compensation for a tenant-owned improvement is the amount which the improvement contributes to the fair market value of the whole property, or its salvage value, whichever is greater. (Salvage value is defined at § 24.2(a)(23).)

(d) Special conditions for tenant-owned improvements. No payment shall be made to a tenant-owner for any real property improvement unless:

(1) The tenant-owner, in consideration for the payment, assigns, transfers, and releases to the Agency all of the tenant-owner's right, title, and interest in the improvement;

(2) The owner of the real property on which the improvement is located disclaims all interest in the improvement; and

(3) The payment does not result in the duplication of any compensation otherwise authorized by law.

(e) Alternative compensation. Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to deprive the tenant-owner of any right to reject payment under this subpart and to obtain payment for such property interests in accordance with other applicable law.

[70 FR 611, Jan. 4, 2005, as amended at 70 FR 22611, May 2, 2005]