[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Glassboro 2-9-1971 by Ord. No. 3-71 as Ch. 14 of the 1971 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fair housing — See Ch. 249.
Housing standards — See Ch. 285.
There is hereby created a body corporate and politic to be known as the "Housing Authority of the Borough of Glassboro."
A. 
Said Housing Authority of the Borough of Glassboro shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed and hold office for the terms as hereinafter provided. The governing body shall appoint five Commissioners of the Authority. The Mayor shall appoint one Commissioner of the Authority. The Commissioners first appointed by the governing body 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 so appointed, as well as the Commissioner appointed by the Mayor, shall hold office for a term of five years, and until their respective successors are appointed and have qualified, and vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. The Director of the Public Housing and Development Authority in the State Department of Community Affairs shall, on receipt of notification of the creation of a Housing Authority, appoint one member thereof, who shall hold office at said Director's pleasure. Commissioners shall receive no compensation for their services, but they shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of their respective duties. Not more than one Commissioner may be an officer or employee of the Borough of Glassboro.
[Amended 1-23-1990 by Ord. No. 90-1]
B. 
The powers of the Housing Authority shall be vested in the Commissioners thereof in office from time to time. Four members 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 the affirmative vote of the majority but not fewer than three of the Commissioners present, unless in any case the bylaws of the Authority shall require a larger number. The Housing Authority shall select a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among its Commissioners, 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. For such legal services as it may require, the Housing Authority may call upon the Borough Solicitor or a solicitor of its own choosing. The Housing Authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such powers and duties as it may deem proper.
[Amended 1-23-1990 by Ord. No. 90-1]
C. 
No Commissioner or employee of the Housing Authority shall acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in any housing project or in any property included or planned to be included in the project, nor shall he have any interest, direct or indirect, in any contract or proposed contract for materials or services to be furnished or used in connection with any housing project. If any Commissioner or employee of the Housing Authority owns or controls an interest, direct or indirect, in any property included or planned to be included in a housing project, he immediately shall disclose the same, in writing, to the Housing Authority and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the Authority. Failure so to disclose such interest shall constitute misconduct in office. Upon such disclosure, such Commissioner or employee shall not participate in any action by the Housing Authority affecting such property.[1] For any deficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, a Commissioner may be removed by the governing body which made the original appointment, but a Commissioner shall be removed only after he shall have been given a copy of the charges at least 10 days prior to the hearing thereon and had an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 50, Ethics, Code of.
The Authority shall constitute a public body corporate and politic, exercising public and essential governmental functions and having all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions allowed by law, including the following powers in addition to others herein granted:
A. 
To sue and be sued; to have a seal and to alter the same at pleasure; to have perpetual succession: to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the Authority; and to make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the state laws, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the Authority.
B. 
Within the Borough of Glassboro, to prepare, carry out, acquire, lease and operate housing projects; to provide for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, alteration or repair of any housing project or any part thereof.
C. 
To arrange or contract, in the manner now prescribed by law concerning municipalities, except as otherwise provided by the rules or regulations of the federal government, for the furnishing by any person or agency, public or private, of services, privileges, works or facilities for or in connection with a housing project or the occupants thereof; and (notwithstanding anything to the contrary) to agree to any conditions attached to federal financial assistance relating to the determination of prevailing salaries or wages or to payment of not less than prevailing salaries or wages or to compliance with labor standards in the development or administration of projects, and to include, in any contract let in connection with a project, stipulations requiring that the contractor and any subcontractors comply with requirements as to minimum wages and maximum hours of labor and comply with any conditions which the federal government may have attached to its financial aid of the project.
D. 
To lease or rent any dwellings, houses, accommodations, lands, buildings, structures or facilities embraced in any housing project, and (subject to the limitations of state law) to establish and revise the rents or charges therefor; to own, hold and improve real or personal property; to purchase, lease, obtain options upon, acquire by gift, grant, bequest, devise or otherwise, any real or personal property or any interest, therein; to acquire, by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, any real property; to sell, lease, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge or dispose of any real or personal property or any interest therein; to insure or provide for the insurance of any real or personal property or operations of the Authority against any risks or hazards; to procure or agree to the procurement of insurance or guaranties from the federal government of the payment of any bonds or parts thereof issued by an authority, including the power to pay premiums on any such insurance.
E. 
To invest any funds held in reserve or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to their control; to purchase its bonds at a price not more than the principal amount thereof and accrued interest, all bonds so purchased to be canceled.
F. 
Within the Borough of Glassboro, to investigate into living, dwelling and housing conditions and into the means and methods of improving such conditions; to determine where slum areas exist or where there is a shortage of decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low income; to make studies and recommendations relating to the problem of clearing, replanning and reconstructing of slum areas, and the problem of providing dwelling accommodations for persons of low income, and to cooperate with any public body in action taken in connection with such problems; and to engage in research, studies and experimentation on the subject of housing.
G. 
To issue bonds for any of its corporate purposes; to issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying or retiring bonds previously issued to it; to issue bonds on which the principal and interest are payable exclusively from the income and revenues of the housing project financed with the proceeds of such bonds; to issue bonds on which the principal and interest are payable exclusively from the income and revenue of certain designated housing projects, whether or not they are financed in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds; to issue bonds on which the principal and interest are payable from revenues generally.
H. 
To adopt, initiate and carry out redevelopment projects within the Borough of Glassboro; to exercise all necessary and legal powers and duties pursuant thereto.
I. 
To exercise all or any part or combination of powers granted by law.