§ 50-2512 — Revenue bonds.

(a) The Council delegates to the Authority the power of the Council, as provided in § 1-204.90 , to issue revenue bonds in such principal amounts as, in the opinion of the Authority, shall be necessary to finance the cost of acquiring property and of establishing, constructing, erecting, altering, expanding, enlarging, improving, and equipping buildings, structures, and other facilities in order to carry out its purposes under this chapter.

(b) The Authority may issue bonds to refund, advance refund or refinance any of its bonds then outstanding, including the payment of any redemption premium and any interest accrued or to accrue to the earliest date or any subsequent date of redemption, purchase, or maturity of the bonds.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Authority shall have the power and is authorized to pledge tax revenue derived from ad valorem taxes imposed on behalf of the Authority, to the payment of the principal of, interest, or redemption premium on, any bonds issued by the Authority.

(1) The Mayor shall act as an agent for the Authority for purposes of collection and disbursement of any revenues from taxes imposed on behalf of the Authority;

(2) The Mayor shall deposit any tax revenues into the parking system fund pursuant to § 50-2510 ; and

(3) Tax revenues collected on behalf of the Authority shall not be commingled with any funds of the District.

(d) Bond issuance may be authorized by a resolution of the Authority pursuant to § 50-2504(h) . The resolution shall provide that the public parking project is to be acquired pursuant to this chapter and applicable provisions of District law.

(e) The Authority may stipulate by resolution the terms for sale of its bonds in accordance with this chapter, including the following:

(1) The date a bond bears;

(2) The date a bond matures; provided, that notes shall not mature later than 10 years from the date of original issuance and revenue bonds shall not mature later than 50 years from the date of original issuance;

(3) Whether bonds are issued as serial bonds, as term bonds, or as a combination of the two;

(4) The denomination;

(5) The interest rate or rates, or variable rate or rates changing from time to time in accordance with a base or formula;

(6) The registration privileges;

(7) The medium and method for payment; and

(8) The terms of redemption.

(1) If the resolution authorizing the sale of bonds contains any of the provisions listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the provisions must also be part of the contract with holders of the bonds.

(2) The provisions in the resolution may include the following:

(A) The ad valorem tax sufficient to cover the debt service on the bonds;

(B) The custody, security, expenditure, or application of proceeds of the sale of bonds of the Authority (hereinafter “proceeds”), a pledge of the proceeds to secure payment, and the rank or priority of the pledge, subject to preexisting agreements with holders of bonds;

(C) A pledge of revenue from parking projects of the Authority to secure payment and the rank or priority of the pledge, subject to preexisting agreements with holders of bonds;

(D) A pledge of assets of the Authority, including mortgages and obligations securing mortgages, to secure payment, and the rank or priority of the pledge, subject to preexisting agreements with holders of bonds;

(E) Use of gross income from mortgages owned by the Authority and payment on principal of mortgages owned by the Authority;

(F) Use of reserves or sinking funds;

(G) Use of proceeds from the sale of bonds and a pledge of proceeds to secure payment;

(H) Limitations on issuance of additional bonds, including terms of issuance and security, and the refunding, advance refunding, or refinancing of outstanding or other bonds;

(I) Procedures for amendment or abrogation of a contract with holders of bonds, the amount of bonds, the holders of which must consent to the amendment, and the manner in which consent may be given;

(J) Vesting in a trustee property, power, and duties, which may include the power and duties of a trustee appointed by holders of bonds;

(K) Limitation or abrogation of the right of holders of bonds to appoint a trustee;

(L) Defining the nature of default in the obligations of the Authority to the holders of bonds and providing rights and remedies of holders in the event of default, including the right to appointment of a receiver, in accordance with this chapter and the laws of the District;

(M) Any other provisions of like or different character which affect the security of holders of bonds; and

(N) Providing for guarantees, pledges of property, letters of credit, or other security, or insurance for the benefit of bondholders.

(1) A pledge by the Authority of revenues and receipts, derived from ad valorem taxes and parking operations, collected by or on behalf of the Authority, as security for an issue of bonds shall be valid and binding from the time such pledge is made.

(2) The revenues and receipts pledged shall immediately be subject to the lien of the pledge without physical delivery or further act, and the lien of any pledge shall be valid and binding against any person having any claim of any kind in tort, contract, or otherwise against the Authority, irrespective of whether the person has notice.

(3) Notwithstanding any other law, the filing or recording of any resolution, trust, agreement, management agreement, financing statement, continuation statement, or other instrument adopted or entered into by the Authority in any public record other than the records of the Authority, is required for purposes of this section in order to perfect the lien against third persons.

(h) Bonds which are being paid or retired by issuance, sale, or delivery of bond and bonds for which sufficient funds have been deposited with the paying agent or trustee to provide for payment of principal and interest thereon, and any redemption premium, as provided in the authorizing resolution, shall not be considered outstanding for the purposes of this subsection.

(i) The signature of any officer of the Authority which appears on a bond shall remain valid if that person ceases to hold that office.

(j) The Authority may secure bonds by a trust agreement between the Authority and a corporate trustee having the powers of a trust company within the District.

(k) A trust agreement of the Authority may contain provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of holders of bonds in accordance with the provisions of the resolution authorizing the sale of bonds.

(l) The Authority may treat expenses incurred in carrying out a trust agreement as operating expenses.

(m) Subject to preexisting agreements with the holders of bonds, the Authority may purchase its own bonds which may then be cancelled. The price of the bonds cannot exceed the following limits:

(1) If the bonds are redeemable, the price cannot exceed the redemption price then applicable plus accrued interest to the next interest payment; or

(2) If the bonds are not redeemable, the price cannot exceed the redemption price applicable on the first date after the purchase upon which the bonds become subject to redemption plus accrued interest to that date.

(n) No member of the Board, Executive Director or employee of the Authority shall be personally liable by reason of the issuance of bonds.

(o) The Authority may enter into agreements with agents, banks, insurers, or others for the purpose of enhancing the marketability of or security for its bonds.

(p) Authority bonds are legal investments in which public officers and public bodies of the District, insurance companies and associations and other persons carrying on an insurance business, banks, bankers, banking institutions, including savings and loan associations, investment companies and other persons carrying on a banking business, administrators, guardians, executors, trustees and other fiduciaries, and other persons authorized to invest in bonds or in other obligations of the District, may legally invest funds, including capital, in their control. The bonds are also securities which legally may be deposited with and received by public officers and public bodies of the District or any agency of the District for any purpose for which the deposit of bonds or other obligations of the District is authorized by law.

(q) The bonds of the Authority shall not constitute an indebtedness of the District. The bonds of the Authority are not general obligations of the District and are not secured by a pledge of the full faith and credit of the District and the holders of Authority bonds may not require the levy or imposition by the District of any taxes, or except as provided in this chapter, the application of other District revenues or funds to the payment of Authority bonds. All bonds issued by the Authority shall contain on their faces a statement setting forth the above qualifications of this subsection.

(r) The District shall pledge to and agree with the holders of Authority bonds issued pursuant to this chapter that the District shall not limit or alter the rights and powers vested in the Authority by this chapter so as to impair the terms of any contract made by the Authority with such holders or in any way impair the rights and remedies of such holders until such bonds, together with interest thereon, with interest on any unpaid installments of interest, and all costs and expenses in connection with any action or proceedings by or on behalf of such holders, are fully met and discharged. In addition, the District shall pledge to and agree with the holders of Authority bonds issued pursuant to this chapter that the District shall not limit or alter the basis on which District funds are to be allocated, deposited, and paid to the Authority as provided in this chapter, or the use of such funds, so as to impair the terms of any such contract. The Authority is authorized to include these pledges and agreements of the District in any contract with the holders of bonds issued pursuant to this section.

(s) Regardless of their form or character, Authority bonds are negotiable instruments for all purposes of subtitle I of Title 28 , subject only to the provisions of the bonds for registration.

(t) The Authority may sell its bonds at public or private sale and may determine the price for sale.

(u) The issuance of bonds by the Authority as contemplated in this section and the adoption of resolutions authorizing such bonds, and other obligations shall be done in compliance with the requirements of this section, but shall not be subject to Chapter 5 of Title 2 , and, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall not be required to comply with the requirements of any legislation passed by the Council. No notice (except as provided in this section), proceeding, consent, or approval shall be required for the issuance of any bond of the Authority or the execution of any instrument relating thereto or to the security therefor, except as provided in this section or in the bylaws promulgated by the Authority. Notice of the adoption of a bond resolution shall be given to the Mayor and the Council after the adoption of such resolution.

Legislative History

Aug. 23, 1994, D.C. Law 10-153, § 13, 41 DCR 4652; Apr. 18, 1996, D.C. Law 11-110, § 45(b), 43 DCR 530