Powers and duties of authority.

(a) An authority shall constitute a public body and a body corporate and politic exercising public powers, and having all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this article, including the following powers in addition to others granted in this article:

(1) To investigate into living, dwelling and housing conditions and into the means and methods of improving such conditions.

(2) To determine where unsafe or unsanitary dwelling, public school or housing conditions exist.

(3) To study and make recommendations concerning the plan of any city located within its boundaries in relation to the problem of clearing, replanning, and reconstruction of areas in which unsafe or unsanitary dwelling, public school, or housing conditions exist, and the provision of dwelling accommodations for persons of low income, and to cooperate with any city or regional planning agency.

(4) To prepare, carry out, and operate housing projects.

(5) To provide for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, alteration, or repair of any housing project or any part thereof.

(6) To take over by purchase, lease, or otherwise any housing project undertaken by any government or by any city located within its boundaries.

(7) To manage, as agent of any city located within its boundaries, any housing project constructed or owned by such city.

(8) To act as agent for the federal government in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation, or management of a housing project, or any part thereof.

(9) To arrange with any city located within its boundaries or with a government for the furnishing, planning, replanning, opening, or closing of streets, roads, roadways, alleys, or other places or facilities, or for the acquisition by such city, or a government, of property, options, or property rights or for the furnishing of property or services in connection with a project.

(10) To lease or rent any of the dwelling or other accommodations or any of the lands, buildings, structures, or facilities embraced in any housing project and to establish and revise the rents or charges therefor.

(11) To enter upon any building or property in order to conduct investigations or to make surveys or soundings.

(12) To purchase, lease, obtain options upon, acquire by eminent domain, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, any property, real or personal, or any interest therein from any person, firm, corporation, city, or government.

(13) To sell, exchange, transfer, assign, or pledge any property, real or personal, or any interest therein to any person, firm, corporation, city, or government.

(14) To own, hold, clear, and improve property.

(15) To pay over to the city in which the authority is organized all or any part of the proceeds received from the sale of any real or personal property; provided, however, that an authority may pay over such proceeds to the city in which it is organized only in such manner and to such extent that such payment will not violate the terms of any then existing contract to which the authority is a party; and, provided further, that an authority shall have no power to so pay over any part of the proceeds derived from the sale of any real or personal property acquired in connection with a redevelopment project, as that term is defined in Section 24-1-4.

(16) To insure or provide for the insurance of the property or operations of the authority against such risks as the authority may deem advisable.

(17) To procure insurance or guarantees from the federal government of the payment of any debts, or parts thereof, secured by mortgages made or held by the authority on any property included in any housing project.

(18) To borrow money upon its bonds, notes, warrants, debentures, or other evidences of indebtedness, and to secure the same by pledges of its revenues, and, subject to the limitations hereinafter imposed, by mortgages upon property held or to be held by it, or in any other manner.

(19) In connection with any loan, to agree to limitations upon its right to dispose of any housing project, or part thereof, or to undertake additional housing projects.

(20) In connection with any loan by a government, to agree to limitations upon the exercise of any powers conferred upon the authority by this article.

(21) To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to their control.

(22) To sue and be sued.

(23) To have a seal and to alter the same at pleasure.

(24) To have perpetual succession.

(25) To make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority.

(26) To make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules, and regulations, not inconsistent with this article, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the authority.

(27) To conduct examinations and investigations and to hear testimony and take proof under oath, at public or private hearings, on any matter material for its information.

(28) To issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses or the production of books and papers and to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses who are out of the state or unable to attend before the authority or excused from attendance.

(29) To make available to such agencies, boards or commissions as are charged with the duty of abating nuisances or demolishing unsafe or unsanitary structures within its territorial limits, 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.

(30) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers given in this article.

(b) Any of the investigations or examinations provided for in this article may be conducted by the authority, or by a committee appointed by it, consisting of one or more commissioners, or by counsel, or by an officer or employee especially authorized by the authority to conduct it. Any commissioner, counsel for the authority, or any person designated by it to conduct an investigation or examination shall have power to administer oaths, take affidavits, and issue subpoenas or commissions.

(c)(1) An authority may exercise any or all of the powers conferred upon it in this article either generally, or with respect to any specific housing project or projects, through or by an agent or agents which it may designate, including any corporation or corporations which are or shall be formed under the laws of this state, and for such purposes an authority may cause one or more corporations to be formed under the laws of this state or may acquire the capital stock of any corporation or corporations.

(2) Any corporate agent, all of the stock of which shall be owned by the authority or its nominee or nominees, may, to the extent permitted by law, exercise any of the powers conferred upon the authority in this article.

(3) Any corporate agent established under this section that satisfies each of the following criteria shall constitute a governmental entity under Chapter 93 of Title 11 and any suits in tort against the agent shall be subject to the limitations and provisions of Chapter 93 of Title 11, as applicable to each such corporate agent whose assets, operations, and management are legally and effectively controlled by the housing authority and through which the housing authority's functions or policies are implemented:

a. The housing authority's board of commissioners constitutes all of the board of directors of the corporate agent.

b. The housing authority's executive director serves as the president of the corporate agent.

c. The organizational documents of the corporate agent contain provisions that in the event of a change in the controlling interest of the corporate agent, all public housing assets of the corporate agent are returned to the housing authority.

d. The sole purpose for which the corporate agent is formed and authorized is to develop, own, manage, operate, or maintain the housing authority's real property that serves as dwelling accommodations for persons of low income, including any real property the housing authority transfers to the corporate agent for the aforementioned purpose.

(d) In addition to all of the other powers conferred upon it in this section, an authority may do all things necessary and convenient to carry out the power expressly given in this article. No provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation or disposition of property by other public bodies shall be applicable to an authority, unless the Legislature shall specifically so state.

(Acts 1935, No. 56, p. 126; Code 1940, T. 25, §12; Acts 1953, No. 590, p. 835; Act 2017-315, §1.)