(a) (1) Prior to adopting a resolution of necessity pursuant to Section 1245.230 of the Code of Civil Procedure and initiating negotiations for the acquisition of real property, the public entity shall establish an amount that it believes to be just compensation therefor, and shall make an offer to the owner or owners of record to acquire the property for the full amount so established, unless the owner cannot be located with reasonable diligence. The offer may be conditioned upon the legislative body’s ratification of the offer by execution of a contract of acquisition or adoption of a resolution of necessity or both. The amount shall not be less than the public entity’s approved appraisal of the fair market value of the property. A decrease or increase in the fair market value of real property to be acquired prior to the date of valuation caused by the public improvement for which the property is acquired, or by the likelihood that the property would be acquired for the improvement, other than that due to physical deterioration within the reasonable control of the owner or occupant, shall be disregarded in determining the compensation for the property.
(2) At the time of making the offer described in paragraph (1), the public entity shall provide the property owner with an informational pamphlet detailing the process of eminent domain and the property owner’s rights under the Eminent Domain Law.
(b) The public entity shall provide the owner of real property to be acquired with a written statement of, and summary of the basis for, the amount it established as just compensation. The written statement and summary shall contain detail sufficient to indicate clearly the basis for the offer, including, but not limited to, all of the following information:
(1) The date of valuation, highest and best use, and applicable zoning of property.
(2) The principal transactions, reproduction or replacement cost analysis, or capitalization analysis, supporting the determination of value.
(3) If appropriate, the just compensation for the real property acquired and for damages to remaining real property shall be separately stated and shall include the calculations and narrative explanation supporting the compensation, including any offsetting benefits.
(c) Where the property involved is owner-occupied residential property and contains no more than four residential units, the homeowner shall, upon request, be allowed to review a copy of the appraisal upon which the offer is based. The public entity may, but is not required to, satisfy the written statement, summary, and review requirements of this section by providing the owner a copy of the appraisal on which the offer is based.
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a public entity may make an offer to the owner or owners of record to acquire real property for less than an amount that it believes to be just compensation therefor if (1) the real property is offered for sale by the owner at a specified price less than the amount the public entity believes to be just compensation therefor, (2) the public entity offers a price that is equal to the specified price for which the property is being offered by the landowner, and (3) no federal funds are involved in the acquisition, construction, or project development.
(e) As used in subdivision (d), “offered for sale” means any of the following:
(1) Directly offered by the landowner to the public entity for a specified price in advance of negotiations by the public entity.
(2) Offered for sale to the general public at an advertised or published specified price, set no more than six months prior to, and still available at, the time the public entity initiates contact with the landowner regarding the public entity’s possible acquisition of the property.
(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 179, Sec. 84. Effective January 1, 2009.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018