Virginia Law

In addition to its other powers, any housing authority may exercise any or all of its powers within the territorial boundaries of any municipality not included in the area of operation of such housing authority, for the purpose of planning, undertaking, financing, rehabilitating, constructing and operating a housing project or projects or a multi-family residential building or buildings within such municipality; provided that a resolution shall have been adopted (a) by the governing body of such municipality in which the housing authority is to exercise its powers and (b) by the authority of such municipality (if one has been theretofore established by such municipality and authorized to exercise its powers therein) declaring that there is a need for the aforesaid housing authority to exercise its powers within such municipality. A municipality shall have the same powers to furnish financial and other assistance to such housing authority exercising its powers within such municipality under this section as though the municipality were within the area of operation of such authority.

No governing body of a municipality shall adopt a resolution as provided in this section declaring that there is a need for the housing authority (other than a housing authority established by such municipality) to exercise its powers within such municipality, unless a public hearing has first been held by such governing body and unless such governing body shall have found in substantially the following terms: (a) that insanitary or unsafe inhabited dwelling accommodations exist in such municipality or that there is a shortage of safe or sanitary dwelling accommodations in such municipality available to persons of low income at rentals they can afford; and (b) that these conditions can be best remedied through the exercise of the aforesaid housing authority's powers within the territorial boundaries of such municipality; provided that such findings shall not have the effect of establishing an authority for any such municipality under § 36-4 nor of thereafter preventing such municipality from establishing an authority or joining in the creation of a consolidated housing authority or the increase of the area of operation of a consolidated housing authority. The clerk of the city or other municipality shall give notice of the time, place and purpose of the public hearing at least seven days prior to the date on which the hearing is to be held, in a newspaper published in such municipality, or if there is no newspaper published in such municipality, then in a newspaper published in the Commonwealth and having a general circulation in such municipality. Upon the date fixed for such public hearing an opportunity to be heard shall be granted to all residents of such municipality and to all other interested persons.

During the time that, pursuant to these findings, the aforesaid housing authority has outstanding (or is under contract to issue) any evidences of indebtedness for a project within the municipality, no other housing authority may undertake a project within such municipality without the consent of the housing authority which has such outstanding indebtedness or obligation.

1942, p. 324; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(41); 1984, c. 350; 2023, cc. 506, 507.