Since 2005, a myriad of social and economic circumstances, including, but not limited to diminished property values, foreclosures, loan values exceeding actual fair market values, natural disasters, and other casualties, have presented significant challenges in the acquisition of properties for transportation projects.  Outstanding liens encumbering those properties often exceed the actual and current fair market values. According to the Wall Street Journal, in November, 2009, “the proportion of U.S. homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the properties are worth has swelled to about 23%. Figures prepared by First American CoreLogic, a real estate information company in California, showed that at the end of the third quarter of 2011, 10.7 million, or 22.1% of all residential properties with a mortgage were in negative equity.  In some areas of the United States, the proportion of homeowners with a mortgage who are in negative equity, referred to as “underwater” or “upside down” on their mortgages is greater than 40%.