Ulcerative Colitis

The Munozes got no answers from city officials until March 2004, when they finally received written notice that, despite what anyone may have told them, their property was needed for the housing development.

By then, Ed Munoz had been hospitalized for months and the bank had filed a foreclosure action on their business loan.

But the store was still open.

Timing is everything At issue in the Munoz case, both in their HUD complaint and in a lawsuit they've filed, is how quickly the city must tell a business owner that it wants his property for a public project, and the rights and services to which the owner is entitled.

Federal law says the city must notify an owner "as soon as feasible" of its interest in a property.

And it must tell an owner he might be eligible not only for the value of the real estate, but for relocation costs or a lump-sum payout if it doesn't make sense to move.

And owners must be told they are entitled to advisory services, including a personal interview on subjects including replacement sites, time considerations, and the availability of outside specialists if necessary.

The HUD letter suggests the city owed the Munozes those services early on, saying that "it is evident that the intent to acquire and develop this...

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