605 ILCS 10/9.10

(605 ILCS 10/9.10)

Sec. 9.10.

Acquisition of property.

(a) Prior to the initiation of negotiations, the Authority shall establish
an
amount that it believes is just compensation for the property.  The amount
shall not be less than the appraisal of the fair market value of the property.
Promptly thereafter, the Authority shall make a written offer to the owner to
acquire the property for the full amount believed to be just compensation.
Along with the initial written purchase offer, the owner shall be given a
written statement of the basis for the offer.
For owner-occupied dwellings, upon the owner's request, the Authority
shall exchange its approved appraisal with the owner's appraisal obtained
from a State-certified general real estate appraiser.

(b) The Authority shall make every reasonable effort to contact the owner or
the
owner's representative and discuss its offer to purchase the property.  The
owner shall be given every reasonable opportunity to consider the offer and
present material that the owner believes is relevant to determining the value
of the property, including an appraisal obtained by the owner from a
State-certified general real estate appraiser, and to suggest modifications in
the
proposed terms and conditions of the purchase.
The Authority shall pay for the cost of the owner's appraisal for an
owner-occupied dwelling.

(c) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the appraiser shall
disregard any decrease or increase in the fair market value of the real
property caused by the project for which the property is to be acquired, or
caused by the likelihood that the property would be acquired for the project,
other than that due to the physical deterioration of the property that was
within the reasonable control of the owner.  If comparable sales of similar
properties are factored into the amount of just compensation offered by the
Authority, those comparable sales must have been with respect to property
located outside the protected corridor.

(d) When the Authority acquires an owner-occupied dwelling the
Authority shall reimburse the property owner up to $500 for reasonable
attorney's fees actually incurred by the property owner related to closing
costs in conjunction with the property owner's purchase of a replacement
dwelling.

(Source: P.A. 90-681, eff. 7-31-98.)