(a)

(1) If the governing body of each of two (2) or more municipalities by resolution declares that there is a need for one (1) housing authority for all of such municipalities to exercise in such municipalities the powers and other functions prescribed for a housing authority, a public body corporate and politic to be known as a consolidated housing authority, with such corporate name as it selects, shall thereupon exist for all such municipalities, and exercise its powers and other functions within its area of operation, as herein defined, including the power to undertake projects therein, and thereupon any housing authority created for any of such municipalities shall cease to exist except for the purpose of winding up its affairs and executing a deed of its real property to the consolidated housing authority; provided, that the creation of a consolidated housing authority and the finding of need therefor shall be subject to the same provisions and limitations of this chapter as are applicable to the creation of a regional housing authority, and that all of the provisions of such law applicable to regional housing authorities and the commissioners thereof shall be applicable to consolidated housing authorities and the commissioners thereof. The area of operation or boundaries of a consolidated housing authority shall include all of the territory within the boundaries of each municipality joining in the creation of such authority, together with the territory within ten (10) miles of the boundaries of each such municipality, except that such area of operation may be changed to include or exclude any municipality or municipalities (with its aforementioned surrounding territory) in the same manner and under the same provisions as provided in such law for changing the area of operation of a regional housing authority by including or excluding a contiguous county or counties.

(2) For all such purposes, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

(A) “County” means “municipality”;

(B) “County housing authority” and “regional housing authority” mean “housing authority of the city” and “consolidated housing authority,” respectively; and

(C) “County legislative body” means governing body, except in § 13-20-507, where it shall be construed as meaning “mayor” or other executive head of the municipality.

(b) The governing body of a municipality for which a housing authority has not been created may adopt the above resolution if it first determines that there is a need for a housing authority to function in the municipality, which determination shall be made in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the determination required in § 13-20-402 for the creation of a housing authority for a city; provided, that the governing body of the municipality may, without a petition therefor, hold a hearing to determine the need for a housing authority to function therein.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a consolidated housing authority and the commissioners thereof shall, within the area of operation of such consolidated housing authority, have the same functions, rights, powers, duties, privileges, immunities and limitations as those provided for housing authorities created for cities, counties, or groups of counties, and the commissioners of such housing authorities, in the same manner as though all law applicable to housing authorities created for cities, counties, or groups of counties were applicable to consolidated housing authorities.