Pub. L. 84-345, tit. IV, sec. 404

Sec. 404. Whenever the Secretary of Defense or his designee shall deem it necessary for the purposes of this title, he may acquire by purchase, donation, or other means of transfer, or may cause proceedings to be instituted in any court having jurisdiction of such proceedings to acquire by condemnation, any unimproved land, or (with the approval of the Federal Housing Commissioner) any housing financed with mortgages insured under the provisions of title VIII of the National Housing Act as in effect prior to the enactment of the Housing Amendments of 1955. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the price paid for any such unimproved land or housing purchased by the Secretary under this or any other law shall be the fair market value of such land or housing as determined by the Secretary on the basis of an independent appraisal, and, in connection with any agreements to purchase such housing, the Secretary of Defense or his designee may assume, or purchase subject to, any such mortgage. Any such condemnation proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Act of August 1, 1888 (25 Stat. 357), as amended, or any other applicable Federal statute. Before condemnation proceedings are instituted pursuant to this section, an effort shall be made to acquire the property involved by negotiation unless, because of reasonable doubt as to the identity of the owner or owners, because of the large number of persons with whom it would be necessary to negotiate, or for other reasons, the effort to acquire by negotiation would involve, in the judgment of the Secretary, such delay in acquiring the property as to be contrary to the interest of national defense. In any condemnation proceeding instituted pursuant to this section, the court shall not order the party in possession to surrender possession in advance of final judgment unless a declaration of taking has been filed, and a deposit of the amount estimated to be just compensation has been made, under the first section of the Act of February 26, 1931 (46 Stat. 1421), providing for such declarations. Unless title is in dispute, the courts, upon application, shall promptly pay to the owner at least 75 per centum of the amount so deposited, but such payment shall be made without prejudice to any party to the proceeding. Property acquired under this section may be occupied, used, and improved for the purposes of this section prior to the approval of title by the Attorney General as required by section 355 of the Revised Statutes, as amended.