Idaho State Statutes - Idaho Attorney Directory

A housing authority shall constitute an
independent public body corporate and politic, exercising public and essential
governmental functions, and having all the powers necessary or convenient to
carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this act, including
the following powers in addition to others herein granted:
(a) 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, including the power to contract with other housing authorities for
services; and to make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules and
regulations, not inconsistent with this chapter, to carry into effect the
powers and purposes of the authority.
(b) Within the area of operation: to prepare, carry out, acquire, lease
and operate housing projects; to provide for the construction, reconstruction,
improvement, alteration or repair of any housing project or any part thereof.
(c) 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, stipulations requiring that the contractor and any subcontractors
comply with requirements as to minimum wages and maximum hours of labor, and
comply with any conditions which the federal government may have attached to
its financial aid of the project.
(d) To lease or rent any dwellings, 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 operation 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; to rent or sell and to agree to rent or sell
dwellings forming part of the housing projects to or for persons of low
income. Where an agreement or option is made to sell a dwelling to a person of
low income, the authority may convey the dwelling to the person upon
fulfillment of the agreement irrespective of whether the person is at the time
of the conveyance a person of low income. Leases, options, agreements or
conveyances may include such covenants as the authority deems appropriate to
assure the achievement of the objectives of this chapter.
(e) To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds
not required for immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which
banks may legally invest funds, subject to the control of the housing
authority; to purchase its own bonds at a price not more than the principal
amount thereof and accrued interest, and all bonds so purchased shall be
canceled.
(f) 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 adequate, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low
income; to make studies and recommendations relating to the problem of
clearing, replanning and reconstruction of slum areas and the problem of
providing dwelling accommodations for persons of low income, and to cooperate
with the city, the county, the state or any political subdivision thereof in
action taken in connection with such problems; and to engage in research,
studies and experimentation on the subject of housing.
(g) Acting through one (1) or more commissioners or other person or
persons designated by the authority, 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; to administer
oaths, issue subpoenas requiring attendance of witnesses or the production of
books and papers, and to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses
who are outside of the state or unable to attend before the authority, or
excused from attendance; 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.
(h) To make, purchase, participate in, invest in, take assignments of, or
otherwise acquire loans to persons of low income to enable them to acquire,
construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, improve, lease or refinance their
dwellings, and to take such security therefor as is deemed necessary and
prudent by the authority.
(i) To make, purchase, participate in, invest in, take assignments of, or
otherwise acquire loans for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction,
rehabilitation, improvement, leasing or refinancing of land, buildings or
developments for housing for persons of low income. For purposes of this
subsection, development shall include either land or buildings or both.
(j) Any housing project shall be subject to the requirement that the
dwelling units made available to persons of low income, together with
functionally related and subordinate facilities, shall occupy at least thirty
percent (30%) of the interior space of any individual building other than a
detached single-family or duplex residential building or mobile or
manufactured home and shall occupy at least fifty percent (50%) of the total
number of units in the development, whichever produces the greater number of
units for persons of low income. For mobile or manufactured home parks, the
mobile or manufactured home lots made available to persons of low income shall
be at least fifty percent (50%) of the total number of mobile or manufactured
home lots in the park.
(k) To exercise all or any part or combination of powers herein granted.

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