Rhode Island § 45-30-3 - National Defense Housing Projects

§ 45-30-3. Powers of authority in development and administration of defense housing — Law applicable.

Any housing authority may undertake the development or administration of projects to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities; provided, that a housing authority shall not initiate the development of that project pursuant to this chapter except during a national defense period as defined in § 45-30-2; and, provided, further, that a housing authority shall not administer, pursuant to this chapter, any project the construction and equipment of which was completed prior to December 16, 1950, and admission to which as of that date was limited to persons or families of low income. In the ownership, development, or administration of those projects, a housing authority shall have all the rights, powers, privileges, and immunities that the authority has under any provisions of law relating to the ownership, development, or administration of slum clearance and housing projects for persons of low income, in the same manner as though all the provisions of law applicable to slum clearance and housing projects for persons of low income were applicable to projects developed or administered to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities as provided in this chapter, and housing projects developed or administered under this chapter shall constitute “housing projects” under the Housing Authorities Law, chapters 25 — 27 of this title, as that term is used therein; provided, that during the national defense period any project developed or administered by the housing authority (or by any housing authority cooperating with it) in that area, pursuant to this chapter, shall not be subject to the provisions of the Housing Authorities Law or of any other law except provisions enacted expressly referring to this section relating to rentals of, preferences or eligibility for admission to, occupancy of, eviction from, payments in lieu of taxes with respect to, or equivalent elimination of substandard dwellings in connection with the provision of, those dwellings. During the national defense period, a housing authority may make payments, in amounts it finds necessary or desirable, in lieu of taxes, and for any services, facilities, works, privileges, or improvements furnished for or in connection with those projects. During periods other than national defense periods, any projects owned by a housing authority shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of the Housing Authorities Law or other applicable federal or state laws and in accordance with any contracts with the federal government or with state public bodies relating to those projects, and any projects owned by the federal government may be administered in accordance with federal law.