(a)      Any housing authority may undertake the development and administration of projects to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for military personnel.

      (b)      In the ownership, development, administration, operation, maintenance or management of such projects, a housing authority shall have all the rights, powers, privileges, and immunities that such authority has under any provision of law relating to the ownership, development, or administration of housing projects for persons of eligible income, in the same manner as though all the provisions of law applicable to housing projects for persons of eligible income were applicable to projects developed or administered to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for military personnel as provided in this subtitle, and housing projects administered hereunder shall constitute "housing projects" under the sections of this article other than this subtitle, as that term is used therein; provided, that any project administered by such housing authority (or by any housing authority cooperating with it) in such area pursuant to this subtitle, with the financial aid of the federal government (or as agent for the federal government as hereinafter provided) shall not be subject to the limitations provided in §§ 1-401 and 1-402 of this title, or any other limitation relating to the amount of rentals or eligibility of tenants other than as provided under this subtitle; and provided further, that a housing authority may make payments in such amounts as it finds necessary or desirable for any services, facilities, works, privileges, or improvements furnished for or in connection with any such projects.