(1) A municipality may itself exercise its community renewal project powers or may, if the local governing body by ordinance or resolution determines such action to be in the public interest, elect to have such powers exercised by the community renewal agency or a department or other officers of the municipality or by any other public body.
(2) In the event the local governing body determines to have the powers exercised by the community renewal agency, such body may authorize the community renewal agency or department or other officers of the municipality to exercise any of the following community renewal project powers:
(a) To formulate and coordinate a workable program as specified in RCW
35.81.040.
(b) To prepare community renewal plans.
(c) To prepare recommended modifications to a community renewal project plan.
(d) To undertake and carry out community renewal projects as required by the local governing body.
(e) To acquire, own, lease, encumber, and sell real or personal property. The agency may not acquire real or personal property using the eminent domain process, unless authorized independently of this chapter.
(g) To issue bonds from time to time in its discretion to finance the undertaking of any community renewal project under this chapter. The bonds issued under this section must meet the requirements of RCW
35.81.100.
(h) To make and execute contracts as specified in RCW
35.81.070, with the exception of contracts for the purchase or sale of real or personal property.
(i) To disseminate blight clearance and community renewal information.
(j) To exercise the powers prescribed by RCW
35.81.070(2), except the power to agree to conditions for federal financial assistance and imposed pursuant to federal law relating to salaries and wages, shall be reserved to the local governing body.
(k) To enter any building or property, in any community renewal area, in order to make surveys and appraisals in the manner specified in RCW
35.81.070(6).
(l) To improve, clear, or prepare for redevelopment any real or personal property in a community renewal area.
(m) To insure real or personal property as provided in RCW
35.81.070(6).
(n) To effectuate the plans provided for in RCW
35.81.070(9).
(o) To prepare plans for the relocation of families displaced from a community renewal area and to coordinate public and private agencies in such relocation.
(p) To prepare plans for carrying out a program of voluntary or compulsory repair and rehabilitation of buildings and improvements.
(q) To conduct appraisals, title searches, surveys, studies, and other preliminary plans and work necessary to prepare for the undertaking of community renewal projects.
(r) To negotiate for the acquisition of land.
(s) To study the closing, vacating, planning, or replanning of streets, roads, sidewalks, ways, or other places and to make recommendations with respect thereto.
(t) To provide financial and technical assistance to a person or public body, for the purpose of creating or retaining jobs, a substantial portion of which, as determined by the municipality, shall be for persons of low income.
(u) To make payments, grants, and other assistance to, or contract with, existing or new owners and tenants of property in the community renewal area, under RCW
35.81.070.
(v) To organize, coordinate, and direct the administration of the provisions of this chapter.
(w) To perform such duties as the local governing body may direct so as to make the necessary arrangements for the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and responsibilities entrusted to the local governing body.
Any powers granted in this chapter that are not included in this subsection (2) as powers of the community renewal agency or a department or other officers of a municipality in lieu thereof may only be exercised by the local governing body or other officers, boards, and commissions as provided by law.
