§ 66 — Powers of authority

* § 66. Powers of authority. An authority shall constitute a body both\ncorporate and politic. It shall have the following powers in addition to\nothers herein granted.\n To investigate into living and housing conditions in the county, city\nor village and into the means and methods of improving such conditions;\nto determine where unsanitary or substandard housing conditions exist;\nto study and make recommendations concerning the municipal plan in\nrelation to the problems of clearing, replanning and reconstruction of\nareas and the providing of housing accommodations for persons of low\nincome, and to cooperate with any municipal or regional planning agency;\nto prepare, carry out and operate projects; to construct, reconstruct,\nimprove, alter or repair or to provide for the construction,\nreconstruction, improvement, alteration or repair of any project or any\npart thereof; to take over any project undertaken by any government; to\nact as agent for the federal government in connection with a project; to\narrange with the county, city or village or with a government for the\nfurnishing, planning, replanning, opening, grading or closing of\nstreets, roads, roadways, alleys or other places or facilities or for\nthe acquisition by the municipality or by a government of property,\noptions or property rights or for the furnishing of property or services\nin connection with a project; to lease or rent any of the housing or\nother accommodations or any of the lands, buildings, structures or\nfacilities embraced in any project and to establish and revise the rents\nor charges therefor; to enter upon any building or property in order to\nconduct investigations or to make surveys or soundings necessary to\ncarry out the purposes of the authority; to purchase, lease, obtain\noptions upon, acquire by eminent domain or otherwise, sell, exchange,\ntransfer, assign or mortgage any property real or personal or any\ninterest therein; to acquire any property real or personal or any\ninterest therein from any person, firm, corporation or government by\ngift, grant, bequest or devise; to own, hold, clear and improve\nproperty; to insure or provide for the insurance of the property or\noperations of the authority against such risks as the authority may deem\nadvisable; to borrow money upon its bonds, notes, debentures or other\nevidences of indebtedness and to secure the same by mortgages upon\nproperty held or to be held by it or by pledge of its revenues, or in\nany other manner; to limit by contract, the exercise of any powers of\nthe authority granted in this article; to invest any funds held in\nreserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate\ndisbursement in property or securities in which savings banks may\nlegally invest funds subject to their control; to sue and be sued; to\nhave a seal and to alter the same at pleasure; to have perpetual\nsuccession; to make and execute contracts and other instruments\nnecessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority;\nto make and from time to time amend and repeal by-laws, rules and\nregulations not inconsistent with this article to carry into effect the\npowers and purposes of the authority; to conduct examinations and\ninvestigations and to hear testimony and take proof under oath at public\nor private hearings on any matter material for its information; to issue\nsubpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses or the production of\nbooks and papers and to issue commissions for the examination of\nwitnesses who are out of the state or unable to attend before the\nauthority, or excused from attendance; and to do all things necessary or\nconvenient to carry out the powers given in this article. Any of the\ninvestigations or examinations provided for in this article may be\nconducted by the authority or by a committee appointed by it, consisting\nof one or more members thereof, or by counsel, or by an officer or\nemployee specially authorized by the authority to conduct it. Any member\nof the authority, its counsel, or any person designated by it to conduct\nan investigation or examination shall have power to administer oaths,\ntake affidavits and issue subpoenas or commissions.\n * NB The text of Article 5 of the former State Housing Law (cited\nherein as the "Municipal Housing Authorities Law"), as such article\nexisted immediately prior to its repeal pursuant to section 227 of\nChapter 808 of the Laws of 1939, is provided here for ease of reference\nand historical purposes as such text continues to be applicable for the\nNew York City Housing Authority pursuant to the provisions of section\n401 of the current Public Housing Law.\n