West Virginia Code § 16-18-5

Powers of an authority
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An 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 of this article, including the following
powers in addition to others herein granted:
(a) To sue and to 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 this aurticle, to carry out the
provisions of this article.
(b) To prepare or cause to be prepared and recommend redevelopment plans to the
governing body of the community or communities within its area of operation and to
undertake and carry out redevelopment projects within its area of operation.
(c) To arrange or contract for the furnishing osr repair, by any person or agency, public or
private, of services, privileges, works, streets, roads, public utilities or other facilities for or
in connection with a redevelopment projecit; and (notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this article or any otherg provision of law), to agree to any conditions that it may
deem reasonable and appropriate attached to federal financial assistance and imposed
pursuant to federal law relating to the determination of prevailing salaries or wages or
compliance with labor standards, in the undertaking or carrying out of a redevelopment
project, and to include in any contract let in connection with such a project, provisions to
fulfill such of said conditions as it may deem reasonable and appropriate.
(d) Within its area of operation, to purchase, lease, obtain options upon, acquire by gift,
grant, bequest, devise, eminent domain or otherwise, any real or personal property or any
interest therein, together with any improvements thereon, necessary or incidental to a
redWevelopment project; to hold, improve, clear or prepare for redevelopment any such
property; to sell, lease, exchange, transfer, assign, subdivide, retain for its own use,
mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber or dispose of any real or personal
property or any interest therein; to enter into contracts with redevelopers of property
containing covenants, restrictions and conditions regarding the use of such property for
residential, commercial, industrial, recreational purposes or for public purposes in
accordance with the redevelopment plan and such other covenants, restrictions and
conditions as the authority may deem necessary to prevent a recurrence of slum or blighted
areas or to effectuate the purposes of this article; to make any of the covenants, restrictions
or conditions of the foregoing contracts covenants running with the land, and to provide
appropriate remedies for any breach of any such covenants or conditions, including the right
in the authority to terminate such contracts and any interest in the property created
pursuant thereto; to borrow money and issue bonds and provide security for loans or bonds;
to insure or provide for the insurance of any real or personal property or operations of the
authority against any risks or hazards, including the power to pay premiums on any such
insurance; and to enter into any contracts necessary to effectuate the purposes of this
article. No statutory provision with respect to the acquisition, clearance or disposition of
property by other public bodies shall restrict an authority or other public body exercising
powers hereunder, in such functions, unless the Legislature shall specifically so state.
(e) To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds or any funds not required for
immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks meay legally invest
funds subject to their control; to redeem its bonds at the redemption price established
therein or to purchase its bonds at less than redemption price, all bondrs so redeemed or
purchased to be cancelled.
(f) To acquire real property in an urban renewal area prior to approval of an urban renewal
plan, or approval of any modifications of the plan, demolish atnd remove any structure on the
property, and pay all costs related to the acquisition, demolition or removal, including any
administrative or relocation expense, provided it shall be deemed necessary by an authority,
and with the approval of the local governing body which shall assume the responsibility to
bear any loss that may arise as the result of the exercise of the authority under this section,
in the event that the real property is not mades part of the urban renewal project.
(g) To borrow money and to apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions and
any other form of financial assistancge from the federal government, the state, county,
municipality or other public body or from any sources, public or private, for the purposes of
this article, to give such secureity as may be required and to enter into and carry out
contracts in connection therewith; an authority, notwithstanding the provisions of any other
law, may include in any Lcontract for financial assistance with the federal government for a
redevelopment project such conditions imposed pursuant to federal law as the authority may
deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this
article.
(h) Acting through one or more commissioners or other persons designated by the authority,
to cWonduct examinations and investigations and to hear testimony and take proof under oath
at public or private hearings on any matter material for its information; to administer oaths,
and to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses who are outside of the state or
unable to attend before the authority, or excused from attendance; to make available to
appropriate agencies or public officials (including those charged with the duty of abating or
requiring the correction of nuisances or like conditions or of demolishing unsafe or
insanitary structures or eliminating slums or conditions of blight within its area of operation)
its findings and recommendations with regard to any building or property where conditions
exist which are dangerous to the public health, safety, morals or welfare.
(i) Within its area of operation, to make or have made all surveys, appraisals, studies and
plans (but not including the preparation of a general plan for the community) necessary to
the carrying out of the purposes of this article and to contract or cooperate with any and all
persons or agencies, public or private, in the making and carrying out of such surveys,
appraisals, studies and plans.
(j) To prepare plans and provide reasonable assistance for the relocation of families
displaced from a redevelopment project area to permit the carrying out of the
redevelopment project, to the extent essential for acquiring possession of and clearing such
area or parts thereof.
(k) To make such expenditures as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this article;
and to make expenditures from funds obtained from the federal governmente without regard
to any other laws pertaining to the making and approval of appropriations and expenditures.
(l) To exercise all or any part or combination of powers herein granted.

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