§539. Selection of chairman and vice chairman; executive director; hiring of employees

A.(1) The mayor of the municipality or the governing body of the parish, as the case may be, shall designate the first chairman of the municipality or parish authority, but thereafter the authority shall select a chairman from among its commissioners.

(2) The authority shall also select a vice chairman from its commissioners.

B. Every regional or consolidated housing authority shall elect a chairman from among its commissioners. The commissioners may select any other officers which the authority requires.

C.(1) The authority shall select a secretary who shall be the executive director and chief executive and administrative officer of the authority. The authority shall enter into an employment contract with the executive director for a term not to exceed five years. The employment contract shall fix the compensation of the executive director and such other terms of employment as the authority may determine.

(2) The executive director shall employ such housing authority staff and employees, permanent and temporary, as shall be necessary to carry out the functions of the authority. The executive director shall determine the qualifications, duties, and compensation of the employees of the authority. The executive director shall have authority over termination of employment. In carrying out his functions and responsibilities, the executive director shall be subject to applicable civil service laws, rules, and regulations and policies of the authority.

(3) The executive director shall exercise administrative supervision over all employees of the authority, and all employees of the authority shall be responsible to the executive director for the accomplishment of their duties. The executive director shall organize the personnel of the authority in the most efficient manner to accomplish the purposes of the authority.

(4) Housing authority staff and employees shall consist of professional, technical, administrative, and clerical personnel necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the housing authority.

(5) The authority, after receiving the recommendations of the executive director, may employ its own counsel and legal staff to perform any legal services it may require. Also, any authority, municipality, or parish may call upon the principal legal officer of the municipality, or parish, as the case may be, for any legal services which it requires.

(6) The authority may arrange or contract for the furnishing by any person or agency, public or private, of services, privileges, works, or facilities for or in connection with its developments or the occupants thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Chapter or in any other provision of law, the authority may agree to any conditions attached to federal financial assistance relating to the determination of prevailing salaries or wages or payment of not less than prevailing salaries or wages or compliance with labor standards, in the development or administration of developments, and may include in any contract awarded or entered in connection with a development, stipulations requiring that the contractor and all subcontractors comply with the requirements as to minimum salaries, wages, and maximum hours of labor, and comply with any conditions attached to the financial aid of the development.

(7) The authority may employ accountants, appraisers, technical experts, and such other officers, agents, and employees, as it may require and shall determine their qualifications, duties, compensation, and term of office. A local housing authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such powers and duties as it may deem proper. With respect to the employment of its staff, a local housing authority shall enjoy the exemptions contained in R.S. 40:406.

(8)(a) Except as provided in the Constitution of Louisiana and as may otherwise be authorized by the State Civil Service Commission, all employees of the authority, except authority members, the executive director, and one other employee whom the authority shall designate and employ, and except professional employees employed on a contract basis, shall be in the classified state civil service.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of any other law to the contrary, the Housing Authority of New Orleans shall not be considered to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, and employees of the authority shall not be included in the state civil service.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of any other law to the contrary, the Cottonport Housing Authority shall not be considered to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, and employees of the authority shall not be included in the state civil service.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of any other law to the contrary, the housing authority of Denham Springs shall not be considered to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, and employees of the authority shall not be included in the state civil service.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of any other law to the contrary, the Housing Authority of the Town of Oil City shall not be considered to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, and employees of the authority shall not be included in the state civil service.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of any other law to the contrary, the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette shall not be considered to be an instrumentality of the state for purposes of Article X, Section 1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, and employees of the authority shall not be included in the state civil service.

Acts 1997, No. 1188, §1; Acts 2008, No. 101, §1, eff. June 9, 2008; Acts 2013, No. 75, §1; Acts 2014, No. 827, §1; Acts 2015, No. 95, §1; Acts 2016, No. 127, §1; Acts 2018, No. 22, §1.