Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 71.djvu/562

 526

PUBLIC LAW 85-240-AUG. 30, 1957

[71 S T A T.

(3) Property not, sold under (1) or (2) shall be opened to bids from the general public and shall be sold to the highest responsible bidder. (c)(1) Of the property authorized to be sold under section 2 of this Act, land in the town area occupied by privately owned improvements shall be offered for sale to the owner of such improvements at the appraised value as established under section 5 less applicable discounts under this Act. This preference right shall expire unless a deposit of earnest money in an amount to be fixed by the Secretary is received by the Secretary before the expiration of sixty days after the date on which the property has been offered for sale, and thereafter the purchase shall be concluded in the same manner as provided under subsection (b)(1) of this section. (2) Land not purchased by the owner of the improvements (except church or hospital improvements) thereon under (1) shall be made available for sale for a period of thirty days to those eligible for purchase under subsection (f) of this section, and thereafter shall be opened to bids from the general public and sold to the highest responsible bidder. (3) Land with church or hospital improvements thereon which has not been purchased by the owners of the improvements under (1) may be disposed of by advertising and competitive bids, or by negotiated sale or other transfer at such prices and on such other terms and conditions as the Secretary shall determine to be fair and equitable. (d)(1) Of the property authorized to be sold under section 2 of this Act, land in the town area occupied by improvements owned by the United States other than dwelling units shall be offered to the lessee of the United States in such improvements at the appraised value as established under section 5 less applicable discounts under this Act: Provided, That where there is more than one lessee in a given improvement and the Secretary finds it impractical to offer each lessee an interest in the property, the Secretary, pursuant to such standards as he deems appropriate, shall designate an order of priority among such lessees for acceptance of the offer of sale of such property, which shall be sold at the appraised value as established under section 5 less applicable discounts under this Act and pursuant to such other terms and conditions as the Secretary deems proper. Any preference or priority right under this paragraph shall expire unless a deposit of earnest money in an amount to be fixed by the Secretary is received by the Secretary before the expiration of sixty days after the date on which the property has been offered for sale, and thereafter the purchase shall be concluded in the same manner as provided under subsection (b)(1) of this section. (2) Property referred to in (1) which is not under lease granted by the United States or which has not been purchased under (1) shall be made available for sale for a period of thirty days to those eligible for purchase under subsection (f) of this section and thereafter may be opened to bids from the general public and sold to the highest responsible bidder. (e) Of the property authorized to be sold under section 2 of this Act, land in the town area which has not been improved or land from which the improvements have been removed shall be sold in accordance with the following terms and conditions. (1) Residential property in the town area shall be offered for sale to persons who are tenants of the United States in Federal housing in the town area or who would meet the requirements for eligibility to become such tenants under the most recent regulations of the Bureau of Reclamation for the assignment of persons to Federal housing in

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