Virginia Law

Article 2. Commissioners, Officers, Agents and Employees.

When the need for an authority to be activated in a city or county has been determined in the manner prescribed by law, the governing body of the city or county shall appoint not more than nine or less than five persons as commissioners of the authority created for such city or county. The governing body of the city or county may subsequently increase the number of commissioners of the authority to a maximum of nine. The commissioners who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms of one, two, three, four and five years, respectively, from the date of their appointment, but thereafter commissioners shall be appointed as aforesaid for a term of office of four years except that all vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, after July 1, 2017, no member of the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority shall serve more than two consecutive terms. Any person who has served more than one and one-half terms as a member of the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority as of July 1, 2017, shall not be eligible for reappointment for another consecutive term. A member of the Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority shall serve at the pleasure of the city council of the City of Chesapeake. No Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority member shall work for the Authority within one year after serving as a member. Except as may be otherwise expressly provided in the charter of a city or town specifically pertaining to such authority, no commissioner of any authority may be an officer or employee, of the city or county for which the authority is created. A commissioner shall hold office until his successor has been appointed and has qualified. A certificate of the appointment or reappointment of any commissioner shall be filed with the clerk and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the due and proper appointment of such commissioner. A commissioner may receive compensation as may be determined by a locality for each meeting of the authority attended by the commissioner. A commissioner shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of his duties.

Any exercise of the powers of an authority by its commissioners after June 30, 1968, otherwise in compliance with applicable law, is hereby declared to be valid and effective in all respects, notwithstanding that the number of commissioners exercising the powers, though not exceeding seven from July 1, 1968, through June 30, 1978, and not exceeding nine thereafter, may have exceeded the number appointed at the time the need for the authority to be activated had been determined in accordance with this section. No suit or action to vacate or set aside any exercise of said powers may be brought on the ground that the number of commissioners, though not exceeding seven from July 1, 1968, through June 30, 1978, and not exceeding nine thereafter, did exceed the number appointed at the time the need for the authority to be activated had been determined.

1938, p. 449; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(5); 1956, c. 615; 1958, c. 82; 1968, c. 696; 1978, c. 557; 1986, c. 357; 1987, c. 102; 1988, c. 601; 2007, c. 247; 2010, c. 311; 2017, cc. 541, 557.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any county having a population of more than 90,000 which adjoins three or more cities of the first class the redevelopment and housing authority of the county may, from funds of the authority and with the approval of the governing body of the county, pay each such commissioner not exceeding $25 for each day or part thereof spent in discharge of his duties as such commissioner; provided that no such commissioner or his successor shall be paid more than $300 in any year.

1958, c. 434.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any redevelopment and housing authority may, from funds of the redevelopment and housing authority and with the approval of the governing body, pay each commissioner a stipend not to exceed $500 per month for services as a commissioner, in addition to such expenses as are allowed by law.

1970, c. 628; 1988, c. 367; 2020, c. 516.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, whenever the members of a council of any city have been authorized to act as commissioners of a redevelopment and housing authority created under § 36-4 for such city, the council of any such city is hereby authorized to adopt a resolution appointing other commissioners for such authority in accordance with § 36-11, to serve as such in lieu of the members of council so acting.

The provisions of this section shall not affect the provisions of the charter of any such city authorizing the governing body thereof to provide for the activation of such authority.

1960, c. 593.

The powers of each authority shall be vested in the commissioners thereof in office from time to time. A majority of the commissioners shall constitute a quorum of the authority for the purpose of conducting its business and exercising its powers and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the authority upon a vote of a majority of the commissioners present, unless in any case the bylaws of the authority shall require a larger number.

1938, p. 450; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(5); 1972, cc. 466, 782.

The governing body of the city or county shall designate which of the commissioners appointed shall be the first chairman, but when the office of the chairman of the authority thereafter becomes vacant, the authority shall select a chairman from among its commissioners. An authority shall select from among its commissioners a vice-chairman, and it may employ a secretary (who shall be executive director), technical experts and such other officers, agents and employees, permanent and temporary, as it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties and compensation.

1938, p. 450; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(5); 1958, c. 82.

For such legal services as it may require, an authority may call upon the city attorney of the city or the attorney for the Commonwealth of the county or may employ its own counsel and legal staff.

1938, p. 450; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(5).

An authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such powers or duties as it may deem proper.

1938, p. 450; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(5).

Repealed by Acts 1970, c. 463.

For inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, a commissioner of an authority of any city or county may be removed by the governing body of such city or county; but a commissioner may be removed only after he shall have been given a copy of the charges at least ten days prior to the hearing thereon and had an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel. In the event of the removal of any commissioner, a record of the proceedings, together with the charges and findings thereon, shall be filed in the office of the clerk.

1938, p. 450; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(7); 1958, c. 82.

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to prevent meetings of the commissioners of a housing authority anywhere within the perimeter boundaries of the area of operation of the authority or within any additional area where the housing authority is authorized to undertake a housing project, nor to prevent the appointment of any person as a commissioner of the authority who resides within such boundaries or such additional area, and who is otherwise eligible for such appointment under this chapter.

1942, p. 325; Michie Code 1942, § 3145(4m).