A Housing Authority may, subject to written approval by the Department, acquire by purchase, condemnation or otherwise any improved or unimproved real property, the acquisition of which is necessary or appropriate for the implementation of a conservation plan for a conservation area as defined in this Act; to remove or demolish substandard or other buildings and structures from the property so acquired; to hold, improve, mortgage and manage such properties; and to sell, lease, or exchange such properties, provided that contracts for repair, improvement or rehabilitation of existing improvements as may be required by the conservation plan to be done by the Authority involving in excess of $1,000 shall be let by free and competitive bidding to the lowest responsible bidder upon such bond and
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A Housing Authority may, subject to written approval by the Department, acquire by purchase, condemnation or otherwise any improved or unimproved real property, the acquisition of which is necessary or appropriate for the implementation of a conservation plan for a conservation area as defined in this Act; to remove or demolish substandard or other buildings and structures from the property so acquired; to hold, improve, mortgage and manage such properties; and to sell, lease, or exchange such properties, provided that contracts for repair, improvement or rehabilitation of existing improvements as may be required by the conservation plan to be done by the Authority involving in excess of $1,000 shall be let by free and competitive bidding to the lowest responsible bidder upon such bond and subject to such regulations as may be set by the Department and to the written approval of the Department, and provided further that all new construction for occupancy and use other than by any municipal corporation or county or subdivision thereof shall be on land privately owned. The acquisition, use or disposition of any real property must conform to a conservation plan developed and approved as provided in Section 8.14. In case of the sale or lease of any real property acquired under a conservation plan, the buyer or lessee must as a condition of sale or lease agree to improve and use the property according to the conservation plan, and such agreement may be made a covenant running with the land, and on order of the Authority and written approval from the Department the agreement shall be made a covenant running with the land. No lease or deed of conveyance either by the Authority or any subsequent owner shall contain a covenant running with the land or other provision prohibiting occupancy of the premises by any person because of race, creed, color, religion, mental or physical disability, national origin or sex. The Authority shall by public notice by publication once a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality or county prior to the execution of any contract to sell, lease or otherwise transfer real property and prior to the delivery of any instrument of conveyance with respect thereto, invite proposals from and make available all pertinent information to redevelopers or any person interested in undertaking to redevelop or rehabilitate a conservation area, or any part thereof; provided that, in municipalities or counties in which no newspaper is published, publication may be made by posting a notice in 3 prominent places within the municipality or county. The notice shall contain a description of the conservation area, the details of the conservation plan relating to the property which the purchaser shall undertake in writing to carry out, and such undertakings as the Authority and the Department may deem necessary to obligate the purchaser, his or her successors and assigns (1) to use the property for the purposes designated in the conservation plan, (2) to commence and complete the improvement, repair, rehabilitation or construction of the improvements within the periods of time which the Authority with written approval from the Department fixes as reasonable and (3) to comply with such other conditions as are necessary to carry out the purpose of the conservation project. The Authority may negotiate with any persons for proposals for the purchase, lease or other transfer of any real property acquired by it and shall consider all redevelopment and rehabilitation proposals submitted to it and the financial and legal ability of the persons making such proposals to carry them out. The Authority subject to written approval from the Department, at a public meeting, notice of which shall have been published in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality or county at least 15 but not more than 30 days prior to such meeting, may accept such proposals as it deems to be in the public interest and in furtherance of the purposes of this Act. All sales or leases of real property shall be made at not less than fair use value. No sale of real property acquired pursuant to this section shall be made without the approval of a majority of the Commissioners of the Authority and written approval from the Department. No property shall be held for more than 5 years, after which the property shall be sold to the highest bidder at public sale. The Authority may employ competent real estate management firms to manage such properties as may be required, or the Authority may manage such properties.