66.1335 Housing and community development authorities.

(1) Authorization. A city may, by a two-thirds vote of the members of the city council present at the meeting, adopt an ordinance or resolution creating a housing and community development authority which shall be known as the “Community Development Authority" of the city. It is a separate body politic for the purpose of carrying out blight elimination, slum clearance, urban renewal programs and projects and housing projects. The ordinance or resolution creating a housing and community development authority may also authorize the authority to act as the agent of the city in planning and carrying out community development programs and activities approved by the mayor and common council under the federal housing and community development act of 1974 and as agent to perform all acts, except the development of the general plan of the city, which may be otherwise performed by the planning commission under s. 66.1105, 66.1301 to 66.1329, 66.1331 or 66.1337. A certified copy of the ordinance or resolution shall be transmitted to the mayor. The ordinance or resolution shall also do all of the following:

(a) Provide that any redevelopment authority created under s. 66.1333 operating in the city and any housing authority created under s. 66.1201 operating in the city, shall terminate its operation as provided in sub. (5).

(b) Declare in substance that a need for blight elimination, slum clearance, urban renewal and community development programs and projects and housing projects exists in the city.

(2) Appointment of members. Upon receipt of a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution, the mayor shall, with the confirmation of the council, appoint 7 resident persons having sufficient ability and experience in the fields of urban renewal, community development and housing, as commissioners of the community development authority.

(a) Two of the commissioners shall be members of the council and shall serve during their term of office as council members.

(b) The first appointments of the 5 noncouncil members shall be for the following terms: 2 for one year and one each for terms of 2, 3 and 4 years. Thereafter the terms of noncouncil members shall be 4 years and until their successors are appointed and qualified.

(c) Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term as provided in this subsection.

(d) Commissioners shall be reimbursed their actual and necessary expenses including local travel expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties, and may, in the discretion of the city council, receive other compensation.

(3) Evidence of authority. The filing of a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution referred to in sub. (1) with the city clerk is prima facie evidence of the community development authority's right to transact business and the ordinance or resolution is not subject to challenge because of any technicality. In a suit, action or proceeding commenced against the community development authority, a certified copy of the ordinance or resolution is conclusive evidence that the community development authority is established and authorized to transact business and exercise its powers under this section.

(4) Powers and duties. The community development authority has all powers, duties and functions set out in ss. 66.1201 and 66.1333 for housing and redevelopment authorities. As to all housing projects initiated by the community development authority it shall proceed under s. 66.1201, and as to all projects relating to blight elimination, slum clearance, urban renewal and redevelopment programs it shall proceed under ss. 66.1105, 66.1301 to 66.1329, 66.1331, 66.1333 or 66.1337 as determined appropriate by the common council on a project by project basis. As to all community development programs and activities undertaken by the city under the federal housing and community development act of 1974, the community development authority shall proceed under all applicable laws and ordinances not inconsistent with the laws of this state. In addition, if provided in the resolution or ordinance, the community development authority may act as agent of the city to perform all acts, except the development of the general plan of the city, which may be otherwise performed by the planning commission under ss. 66.1105, 66.1301 to 66.1329, 66.1331 or 66.1337.

(5) Termination of housing and redevelopment authorities. Upon the adoption of an ordinance or resolution creating a community development authority, all housing and redevelopment authorities previously created in the city under ss. 66.1201 and 66.1333 terminate.

(a) Any programs and projects which have been begun by housing and redevelopment authorities shall, upon adoption of the ordinance or resolution, be transferred to and completed by the community development authority. Any procedures, hearings, actions or approvals taken or initiated by the redevelopment authority under s. 66.1333 on pending projects are deemed to have been taken or initiated by the community development authority as if the community development authority had originally undertaken the procedures, hearings, actions or approvals.

(b) Any form of indebtedness issued by a housing or redevelopment authority shall, upon the adoption of the ordinance or resolution, be assumed by the community development authority except as indicated in par. (e).

(c) Upon the adoption of the ordinance or resolution, all contracts entered into between the federal government and a housing or redevelopment authority, or between these authorities and other parties shall be assumed and discharged by the community development authority except for the termination of operations by housing and redevelopment authorities. Housing and redevelopment authorities may execute any agreements contemplated by this subsection. Contracts for disposition of real property entered into by the redevelopment authority with respect to any project are deemed contracts of the community development authority without the requirement of amendments to the contracts. Contracts entered into between the federal government and the redevelopment authority or the housing authority bind the community development authority in the same manner as if originally entered into by the community development authority.

(d) A community development authority may execute appropriate documents to reflect its assumption of the obligations set forth in this subsection.

(e) A housing authority which has outstanding bonds or other securities that require the operation of the housing authority in order to fulfill its commitments with respect to the discharge of principal or interest or both may continue in existence solely for that purpose. The ordinance or resolution creating the community development authority shall delineate the duties and responsibilities which shall devolve upon the housing authority with respect to that purpose.

(f) The termination of housing and redevelopment authorities pursuant to this section is not subject to s. 66.1201 (26).

(5m) Tax exemption. Community development authority bonds issued on or after January 28, 1987, are declared to be issued for an essential public and governmental purpose and to be public instrumentalities and, together with interest on the bonds and income from the bonds, are exempt from taxes.

(6) Controlling statute. The powers conferred under this section are in addition and supplemental to the powers conferred by any other law. To the extent that this section is inconsistent with any other law, this section controls.

(7) Construction. This section shall be construed liberally to effectuate its purposes and the enumeration of specific powers in this section does not restrict the meaning of any general grant of power contained in this section nor does it exclude other powers comprehended in the general grant.

History: 1975 c. 311; 1979 c. 110; 1987 a. 27; 1999 a. 150 s. 448; Stats. 1999 s. 66.1335.