(a)

(1) The area of operation or boundaries of a regional housing authority may be increased from time to time to include one (1) or more additional contiguous counties not already within a regional housing authority, if the legislative body of each of the counties then included in the area of operation of such regional housing authority, the commissioners of the regional housing authority and the legislative body of each such additional county or counties adopt a resolution declaring that there is a need for the inclusion of such additional county or counties in the area of operation of such regional housing authority. Upon the adoption of such resolution, any county housing authority created for any such additional county shall cease to exist except for the purpose of winding up its affairs and executing a deed to the regional housing authority as hereinafter provided; provided, that such resolutions shall not be adopted if there is a county housing authority created for any such additional county which has any bonds or notes outstanding unless:

(A) First, all holders of such bonds and notes consent in writing to the substitution of such regional housing authority in lieu of such county housing authority as the obligor thereon; and

(B) Second, the commissioners of such county housing authority adopt a resolution consenting to the transfers of all rights, contracts, bonds and property, real and personal, of such county housing authority to such regional housing authority as hereinafter provided.

(2) When there is compliance with the above two (2) conditions and the area of operation of such regional housing authority is increased to include such additional county, as hereinabove provided, all rights, contracts, bonds, and property, real and personal, of such county housing authority shall be in the name of and vest in such regional housing authority, all contracts and bonds of such county housing authority shall be the contracts and bonds of such regional housing authority and all rights and remedies of any person against such county housing authority may be asserted, enforced, and prosecuted against such regional housing authority to the same extent as they might have been asserted, enforced, and prosecuted against such county housing authority.

(b) When any real property of a county housing authority vests in a regional housing authority as provided above, the county housing authority shall execute a deed of such property to the regional housing authority, which thereupon shall file such deed in the office provided for the filing of deeds; provided, that nothing contained in this subsection (b) shall affect the vesting of property in the regional housing authority as provided above.

(c) The legislative body of each of the counties in the regional housing authority, the commissioners of the regional housing authority and the legislative body of each such additional county or counties shall by resolution declare that there is a need for the inclusion of such county or counties in the area of operation of the regional housing authority, only if:

(1) The legislative body of each such additional county or counties finds that unsanitary or unsafe inhabited dwelling accommodations exist in such county or there is a shortage of safe or sanitary dwelling accommodations in such county available to persons of low income at rentals they can afford; and

(2) The legislative body of each of the counties then included in the area of operation of the regional housing authority, the commissioners of the regional housing authority and the legislative body of each such additional county or counties find that the regional housing authority would be a more efficient or economical administrative unit if the area of operation of the regional housing authority is increased to include such additional county or counties.