US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

      (a)      The Administration shall:

            (1)      assist the Governor in coordinating the activities of governmental units of the State that affect the solution of community development problems and the implementation of community plans;

            (2)      encourage and assist political subdivisions to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to their common problems;

            (3)      serve as a clearinghouse for information and other materials that may be pertinent to sound community development, including information on available federal, State, and private financial and technical assistance;

            (4)      carry out continuing studies and analyses of sound community development in cooperation with the Department of Planning;

            (5)      make recommendations, in cooperation with the Department of Planning, for administrative or legislative action, paying particular attention to the problems of metropolitan, suburban, and other areas;

            (6)      implement model or demonstration programs and projects, contract to administer functions or services in a political subdivision, or otherwise provide a program of practical research in community development;

            (7)      promote community development by giving to political subdivisions, local development agencies, local development entities, or nonprofit organizations:

                  (i)      technical assistance and advisory, consultative, training, and educational services; and

                  (ii)      grants and loans to pay for:

                        1.      the services and technical assistance; and

                        2.      any development costs;

            (8)      (i)      contract for and accept from the federal government a grant, contribution, or loan of money, property, or other aid in any form for community development; and

                  (ii)      do all things necessary to qualify for the grant, contribution, or loan, including those things necessary to qualify for assistance as a local public agency or public housing agency under a federal housing or renewal program;

            (9)      contract for and accept from any governmental unit of the State or other source a gift, grant, contribution, or loan of money, property, or other aid in any form for community development and comply with the terms and conditions of the gift, grant, contribution, or loan;

            (10)      attach to a sale or lease of property or to a loan or grant the terms and conditions that the Director determines and the Secretary approves;

            (11)      enter into agreements to make annual payments instead of assessments, charges, or property taxes to a political subdivision in respect to real property that the Administration owns; and

            (12)      provide money to programs eligible to receive funding from the Neighborhood Business Development Fund under § 6-309 of this article.

      (b)      To implement community development projects and public purpose projects in accordance with Part V of this subtitle, and subject to §§ 4-213(b) and 4-214 of this subtitle, the Administration may:

            (1)      (i)      acquire, own, and hold land that is open, mainly open, or undeveloped, or any interest in the land;

                  (ii)      install access and interior streets and roads and sewer and water lines in or to the land and otherwise improve the land; or

                  (iii)      transfer, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of or encumber the land;

            (2)      (i)      acquire, own, and hold land that is not open, mainly open, or undeveloped, as well as personal or mixed property;

                  (ii)      manage and operate the property;

                  (iii)      clear, improve, construct, or rehabilitate the property;

                  (iv)      transfer, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of or encumber the property; or

                  (v)      take assignments of rentals or leases for the property;

            (3)      arrange or contract with a political subdivision or private party in connection with a community development project or public purpose project for:

                  (i)      planning, replanning, zoning, or rezoning;

                  (ii)      opening, grading, or closing streets, roads, alleys, or other places;

                  (iii)      furnishing facilities;

                  (iv)      acquiring property or property rights by the political subdivision; or

                  (v)      furnishing property or services; and

            (4)      spend Administration money for an undertaking that the Secretary approves.

      (c)      The Administration shall develop and implement a weatherization program to provide money for insulation materials and insulation costs to households that qualify based on income and the program eligibility guidelines that the Secretary establishes.