40A:12A-16 Powers of municipality, county, housing authority.

16. a. In order to carry out the housing purposes of this act, a municipality, county, or housing authority may exercise the following powers, in addition to those set forth in section 22 of P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-22):

(1) Plan, construct, own, and operate housing projects; maintain, reconstruct, improve, alter, or repair any housing project or any part thereof; and for these purposes, receive and accept from the State or federal government, or any other source, funds or other financial assistance;

(2) Lease or rent any dwelling house, accommodations, lands, buildings, structures or facilities embraced in any housing project; and pursuant to the provisions of this act, establish and revise the rents and charges therefor;

(3) Acquire property pursuant to subsection i. of section 22 of P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-22);

(4) Acquire, by condemnation, any land or building which is necessary for the housing project, pursuant to the provisions of the "Eminent Domain Act of 1971," P.L.1971, c.361 (C.20:3-1 et seq.);

(5) Issue bonds in accordance with the provisions of section 29 of P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-29);

(6) Cooperate with any other municipality, private, county, State or federal entity to provide funds to the municipality or other governmental entity and to homeowners, tenant associations, nonprofit or private developers to acquire, construct, rehabilitate or operate publicly assisted housing, and to provide rent subsidies for persons of low and moderate income, including the elderly, pursuant to applicable State or federal programs;

(7) Encourage the use of demand side subsidy programs such as certificates and vouchers for low-income families and promote the use of project based certificates which provide subsidies for units in newly constructed and substantially rehabilitated structures, and of tenant based certificates which subsidize rent in existing units;

(8) Cooperate with any State or federal entity to secure mortgage assistance for any person of low or moderate income;

(9) Provide technical assistance and support to nonprofit organizations and private developers interested in constructing low and moderate income housing;

(10) If it owns and operates public housing units, provide to the tenants public safety services, including protection against substance use disorder, and social services, including counseling and financial management, in cooperation with other agencies;

(11) Provide emergency shelters, transitional housing and supporting services to homeless families and individuals.

b. All housing projects, programs and actions undertaken pursuant to this act shall accord with the housing element of the master plan of the municipality within which undertaken, and with any fair share housing plan filed by the municipality with the Council on Affordable Housing, based upon the council's criteria and guidelines, pursuant to the "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.), whether or not the municipality has petitioned for substantive certification of the plan.

L.1992, c.79, s.16; amended 2017, c.131, s.176.