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2002 SESSION


CHAPTER 548
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 36-19 and 36-29 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the powers of local housing authorities.
[H 1023]
Approved April 5, 2002

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 36-19 and 36-29 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 36-19. Enumeration of powers.

An authority shall constitute a political subdivision of the Commonwealth with public and corporate powers, and having all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter, including the following powers in addition to others herein granted:

1. To sue and to be sued; to have a seal and to alter the same at pleasure; to have perpetual succession; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority; and to make, amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the authority.

2. Within its area of operation, to prepare, carry out, acquire, lease and operate housing projects and residential buildings, and to provide for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, alteration or repair of any housing project, residential building, or any part thereof, and to construct, remodel or renovate any public building or other facility used for public purposes provided the authority is requested to do so by the governing body of the political subdivision wherein the public building or facility is located.

3. To arrange or contract for the furnishing by any person or agency, public or private, of services, privileges, works, or facilities for, or in connection with, a housing project or the occupants thereof; and (notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this chapter or in any other provision of law) to include in any contract let in connection with a project, any provisions required to comply with any conditions which the federal government may have attached to its financial aid of the project.

4. In connection with any housing project: to lease or rent any dwelling, houses, accommodations, lands, buildings, structures or facilities embraced in any housing project and (subject to the limitations contained in this chapter) to establish and revise the rents or charges therefor; to own, hold, and improve real or personal property; to purchase, lease, obtain options upon, acquire by gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise any real or personal property or any interest therein; to acquire by the exercise of the power of eminent domain any real property; to sell, lease, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge or dispose of any real or personal property or any interest therein; to insure or provide for the insurance of any real or personal property or operations of the authority against any risks or hazards, to procure or agree to the procurement of insurance or guarantees from the federal government of the payment of any bonds or parts thereof issued by an authority, including the power to pay premiums on any such insurance.

5. To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in property or security in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to their control; to purchase its bonds at a price not more than the principal amount thereof and accrued interest, all bonds so purchased to be cancelled.

6. Within its area of operation, to investigate into living, dwelling and housing conditions and into the means and methods of improving such conditions; to determine where slum areas exist or where there is a shortage of decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low income; to make studies and recommendations relating to the problem of clearing, replanning and reconstructing of slum areas, and the problem of providing dwelling accommodations for persons of low income, and to cooperate with the city, the county, the Commonwealth or any other political subdivision thereof in action taken in connection with such problems; and to engage in research, studies and experimentation on the subject of housing.

7. To make loans or grants for the prevention and elimination of slum or blighted areas and for assistance in housing construction or rehabilitation by private sponsors of any and all funds received through federal programs and any and all funds received from other sources, public or private, including but not limited to, rehabilitation loans received pursuant to the provisions of § 312 of the Federal Housing Act of 1964, as amended and the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

8. Within its area of operation, to act as agent for a political subdivision or agency of the Commonwealth or for a federal agency in making rehabilitation loans to persons of low or moderate income in accordance with the rules and regulations of the political subdivision or agency.

9. Within its area of operation to make loans or refinance loans made by others for assistance in planning, development, acquisition, construction, repair, rehabilitation, equipping or maintenance of commercial, residential or other buildings; provided that prior approval of any such loan by the local governing body shall be required if the building is not located within a housing, redevelopment or conservation project, or a rehabilitation district, and provided further that any rehabilitation funded by any such loan is in compliance with property maintenance standards contained in duly adopted conservation plans in effect in such area of operation.

10. To borrow money and issue evidence of indebtedness in the name of and for the use of the housing authority subject to such limitations as may be imposed by law.

11. Acting through one or more commissioners or other person or persons designated by the authority: to conduct examinations and investigations, and to make available to appropriate agencies (including those charged with the duty of abating or requiring the correction of nuisances or like conditions, or of demolishing unsafe or insanitary structures within its area of operation) its findings and recommendations with regard to any building or property where conditions exist which are dangerous to the public health, morals, safety or welfare.

12. With the approval of the local governing body, to form corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, trusts, or any other legal entity or combination thereof, on its own behalf or with any person or public or private entity.

13. To exercise all or any part or combination of powers herein granted.

No provisions of law with respect to the acquisition, operation or disposition of property by other political subdivisions or public bodies shall be applicable to an authority unless the legislature shall specifically state.

§ 36-29. Power to issue bonds; liability in general.

An authority shall have power to issue bonds from time to time in its discretion, for any of its corporate purposes. An authority shall also have power to issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying or retiring bonds previously issued by it or for the purpose of refunding loans made by another entity if such loans could have been made by the authority. An authority may issue such types of bonds as it may determine, including (without limiting the generality of the foregoing):

(a) Bonds on which the principal and interest are payable:

(1) Exclusively from the income and revenues of the housing project financed with the proceeds of such bonds; or

(2) Exclusively from the income and revenues of certain designated housing projects whether or not they are financed in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds; or

(3) From its revenues generally.

(b) Bonds on which the principal is payable solely from annual contributions or grants received from the federal government or received from any other source, public or private.

Any such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any grant or contributions from the federal government or other source, or a pledge of any income or revenues of the authority, or a mortgage of any housing project, projects or other property of the authority.

Neither the commissioners of an authority nor any person executing the bonds shall be liable personally on the bonds by reason of the issuance thereof. The bonds and other obligations of an authority (and such bonds and obligations shall so state on their face) shall not be a debt of the city, the county, the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof (other than the authority) and neither the city or the county, nor the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof (other than the authority) shall be liable thereon, nor in any event shall such bonds or obligations be payable out of any funds or properties other than those of the authority. The bonds shall not constitute an indebtedness within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory debt limitation or restriction.