2016 Illinois Compiled Statutes
Chapter 315 - URBAN PROBLEMS
315 ILCS 5/ - Blighted Areas Redevelopment Act of 1947.

(315 ILCS 5/1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 63)
Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Blighted Areas Redevelopment Act of 1947."
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 64)
Sec. 2. It is hereby found and declared (a) that there exist in many urban communities within this State slum and blighted areas, as defined herein; (b) that such slum and blighted areas contribute to the development and cause an increase in and spread of disease, crime, infant mortality and juvenile delinquency, and constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the State; that these conditions necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public fund for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety, fire and accident protection, and other public services and facilities and constitute a drain upon the public revenue and continue to impair the efficient, economical and indispensable governmental functions of the municipalities embracing such areas, as well as of the State; and (c) that in order to promote and protect the health, safety, morals and welfare of the public it is necessary to provide for the eradication and elimination of slum and blighted areas and the construction of redevelopment projects thereon, and that the eradication and elimination of such areas and the construction of redevelopment projects financed by private capital, with limited financial assistance from governmental bodies, in the manner provided in this Act are hereby declared to be a public use essential to the public interest.
It is also found and declared (a) that there exist in many communities within this State areas of platted or unplatted land which are predominantly open and which, by reason of obsolete platting, diversity of ownership, deterioration of structures or site improvements, or taxes and special assessment delinquencies usually exceeding the fair value of the land, are unmarketable in fact for housing or other economic purposes, and which otherwise substantially impair or arrest the sound growth of communities; (b) that the inability to market and develop such predominantly open areas constitutes a blight upon communities by preventing the construction of critically needed residential housing or other appropriate development; (c) that the retardation of housing and other essential community development and redevelopment projects is a direct and immediate result of such blighted vacant areas and that the existence of such areas constitutes a menace to the public health, safety, welfare and morals by promoting the creation and continuation of slum and blighted areas, as herein defined, with their attendant evils of disease, crime, infant mortality and juvenile delinquency; (d) that in order to promote and protect the health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of this State, it is essential that such open areas be made available for development for residential or other use; and (e) that the acquisition of such predominantly open land and the development or redevelopment thereof by private capital, with limited financial assistance from governmental bodies, in the manner provided by this Act, is hereby declared to be a public use essential to the public interest.
It is also found and declared (a) that the development and redevelopment of urban communities is best served by making such slum and blighted areas and blighted vacant areas available for redevelopment for any use for which the land is suited, public or private, by bodies politic and corporate, public corporations, or other public bodies, or any private interests, and (b) the eradication and elimination of slum and blighted areas and the acquisition of blighted vacant areas and the development or redevelopment thereof by public bodies or private interests for any appropriate use, public or private, consistent with the general plan for the municipality, in the manner provided in this Act, is hereby declared to be a public use essential to the public interest.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 3800.)

(315 ILCS 5/3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 65)
Sec. 3. Definitions. The following terms, wherever used or referred to in this Act shall have the following respective meanings, unless in any case a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
(a) "Commission" means a Land Clearance Commission created pursuant to this Act or heretofore created pursuant to "An Act to promote the improvement of housing," approved July 26, 1945.
(b) "Commissioner" or "Commissioners" shall mean a Commissioner or Commissioners of a Land Clearance Commission.
(c) "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
(d) "Authority" or "housing authority" shall mean a housing authority organized in accordance with the provisions of the Housing Authorities Act.
(e) "Municipality" shall mean a city, village or incorporated town.
(f) "Presiding officer" shall mean the presiding officer of the board of a county, or the mayor or president of a city, village or incorporated town, as the case may be, for which a Land Clearance Commission is created.
(g) The term "governing body" shall mean the council or the president and board of trustees of any city, village or incorporated town, as the case may be, and the county board of any county.
(h) "Area of operation" shall mean (1) in the case of a Land Clearance Commission created for a municipality, the area within the territorial boundaries of said municipality; and (2) in the case of a county shall include the areas within the territorial boundaries of all municipalities within such county, except the area of any municipality located therein in which there has been created a Land Clearance Commission or a Department of Urban Renewal pursuant to the provisions of the Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961. When a Land Clearance Commission or such a Department of Urban Renewal is created for a municipality subsequent to the creation of a County land clearance commission whose area of operation of the County land clearance commission shall not thereafter include the territory of such municipality, but the County land clearance commission may continue any redevelopment project previously commenced in such municipality.
(i) "Real property" shall include lands, lands under water, structures, and any and all easements, franchises and incorporeal hereditaments and estates, and rights, legal and equitable, including terms for years and liens by way of judgment, mortgage or otherwise.
(j) "Slum and Blighted Area" means any area of not less in the aggregate than 2 acres located within the territorial limits of a municipality where buildings or improvements, by reason of dilapidation, obsolescence, overcrowding, faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation, light and sanitary facilities, excessive land coverage, deleterious land use or layout or any combination of these factors, are detrimental to the public safety, health, morals or welfare.
(k) "Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project" means a project involving a slum and blighted area as defined in subsection (j) of this Section including undertakings and activities of the Commission in a Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project for the elimination and for the prevention of the development or spread of slums and blight and may involve slum clearance and redevelopment in a Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project, or any combination or part thereof in accordance with an Urban Renewal Program. Such undertakings and activities may include:
1. acquisition of a slum area or a blighted area or

portion thereof;

2. demolition and removal of buildings and

improvements;

3. installation, construction or reconstruction of

streets, utilities, parks, playgrounds, and other improvements necessary for the carrying out in the Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project the objectives of this Act;

4. disposition of any property acquired in the Slum

and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project;

5. carrying out plans for a program of voluntary

repair and rehabilitation of buildings or other improvements in accordance with a redevelopment plan.

(l) "Blighted Vacant Area Redevelopment Project" means a project involving (1) predominantly open platted urban or suburban land which because of obsolete platting, diversity of ownership, deterioration of structures or of site improvements, or taxes or special assessment delinquencies exceeding the fair value of the land, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the community and which is to be developed for residential or other use, provided that such a project shall not be developed for other than residential use unless the area, at the time the Commission adopts the resolution approving the plan for the development of the area, is zoned for other than residential use and unless the Commission determines that residential development thereof is not feasible, and such determination is approved by the presiding officer and the governing body of the municipality in which the area is situated and by the Department, or (2) open unplatted urban or suburban land to be developed for predominantly residential uses, or (3) a combination of projects defined in (1) and (2) of this subsection (l).
(m) "Redevelopment Project" means a "Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project" or a "Blighted Vacant Area Redevelopment Project", as the case may be, as designated in the determination of the Commission pursuant to Section 13 of this Act, and may include such additional area of not more in the aggregate than 160 acres (exclusive of the site of any abutting Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project or Blighted Vacant Area Redevelopment Project) located within the territorial limits of the municipality, abutting and adjoining in whole or in part a Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project or Blighted Vacant Area Redevelopment Project, which the land clearance commission deems necessary for the protection and completion of such redevelopment project or projects and of the site improvements to be made therein and which has been approved by the Department and the governing body of the municipality in which the area is situated, but the land clearance commission as to such additional area shall have power only to make studies, surveys and plans concerning services to be performed by the municipality or others, including the extension of project streets and utilities, the provision of parks, playgrounds or schools, and the zoning of such peripheral areas.
(n) "Match" and any other form of said word when used with reference to the matching of moneys means match on a dollar for dollar basis.
(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

(315 ILCS 5/4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 66)
Sec. 4. Excepting any municipality for and in which there exists a Department of Urban Renewal created pursuant to the provisions of the "Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961", enacted by the Seventy-Second General Assembly, the governing body of any municipality having more than 25,000 inhabitants, as determined by the last preceding Federal census, or of any county of this State, may, by resolution, determine that there is need for a Commission in such municipality or county to exercise the powers and authority prescribed by this Act. Upon adoption, such resolution shall be forwarded to the Department, together with a statement of reasons or findings supporting such resolution. The Department shall thereupon issue a certificate to the presiding officer of such municipality or county for the creation of such Commission if it shall find that one or more slum or blighted areas exist in such municipality or county. In determining whether slum or blighted areas exist, the Department may take into consideration the degree of over-crowding, the percentage of land coverage, the light, air, space and access available to the inhabitants or dwelling accommodations, the size and arrangement of the rooms, the sanitary facilities, the age and condition of the buildings and the extent to which conditions exist in such buildings which endanger the life, health, safety, morals and welfare of the occupants thereof. No Commission shall be created for any municipality for and in which there exists a Department of Urban Renewal created pursuant to the provisions of the "Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961", enacted by the Seventy-Second General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/5) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 67)
Sec. 5. As soon as possible after the issuance of a certificate by the Department the presiding officer of such municipality or county shall appoint, with the approval of the Department, five commissioners with initial terms of one, two, three, four and five years. Upon the approval by the Department of such appointments, the Department shall cause a certificate of such appointments and of its approval thereof to be filed in the office in which deeds of property in the area of operation are recorded, and upon such filing the persons so appointed and approved shall be fully constituted as a Land Clearance Commission.
At the expiration of the term of each such commissioner, and of each succeeding commissioner, or in the event of a vacancy, the presiding officer shall appoint a commissioner, subject to the approval of the Department as aforesaid, to hold office, in the case of a vacancy for the unexpired term, or in the case of expiration for a term of five years, or until his successor shall have been appointed and qualified. Each such appointment shall be effective upon the filing by the Department of a certificate of appointment and of its approval thereof, as hereinbefore provided.
Every commissioner shall be a resident of the area of operation of the Commission. Any public officer shall be eligible to serve as a commissioner, and the acceptance of appointment as such shall not terminate nor impair his other public office, the provision of any statute to the contrary notwithstanding; but no officer or employee of the Department shall be eligible to serve as a commissioner, nor shall more than two public officers be commissioners of the same Commission at one time.
Any Land Clearance Commission heretofore created pursuant to "An Act to promote the improvement of housing," approved July 26, 1945, shall be deemed lawfully and validly created under the terms of this Act, and shall have all the authority and exercise the same powers, and be subject to the same duties as herein prescribed for Land Clearance Commissions; and nothing herein contained shall affect or impair the validity of any act or proceeding done or performed by such Land Clearance Commission under the aforesaid Act of 1945.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/6) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 68)
Sec. 6. A Commission shall be designated as the Land Clearance Commission of the city, village, incorporated town or county for which it has been created.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/7) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 69)
Sec. 7. Whenever it shall appear to the State Housing Board that a commissioner is incompetent or guilty of neglect of duty or malfeasance, the Board shall require such commissioner to appear before it to show cause why he should not be removed from office. At least fifteen days' written notice of such a hearing shall be given to the commissioner whose conduct is in question and to all other members of the Commission. At the hearing the commissioner may be represented by counsel and may appear personally and present such pertinent evidence as he wishes or as the Board may request.
If after a hearing the Board determines that a commissioner has been incompetent or has been guilty of neglect of duty or malfeasance, it shall remove such commissioner from the Commission within seven days, and there shall thereupon be deemed to be a vacancy of such office.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/8) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 70)
Sec. 8. No commissioner or employee of a Commission shall acquire any interest direct or indirect in any redevelopment project or in any property included or planned to be included in any redevelopment project, nor shall he have any interest direct or indirect in any contract or proposed contract in connection with any such project. If any commissioner or employee of any Commission owns or controls an interest direct or indirect in any property included in any redevelopment project, he shall disclose the same in writing to the Commission and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the Commission.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/9) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 71)
Sec. 9. As soon as possible after the creation of a Commission the commissioners shall organize for the transaction of business by choosing from among their number a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary and by adopting by-laws and rules and regulations suitable to the purposes of this Act. Three commissioners shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business thereof. The Commission may appoint such professional, technical and clerical assistants as are necessary for the proper performance of its duties, provided the approval of both the Department and the presiding officer of the municipality or county which initiated the creation of such Commission is obtained both as to any such appointments and as to the amount of the salaries, fees or other compensation to be paid. Such salaries, fees or other compensation, when so approved, shall be paid out of the separate fund referred to in Section 21 hereof.
The Commission may contribute to the charges or premium payments for group life, annuity and retirement insurance coverage for its employees, to be underwritten by any legal reserve life insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Illinois, which may be covered in one or more policies, and which may include provisions for past service credits, provided that premium payments for future service benefits shall be made by the Commission and the employees, but the part of each premium payment to be charged against the participating employees for such future service benefits shall not be less than the part of that premium to be charged against and paid by the Commission. Prior to contracting for any policy of insurance authorized in the preceding sentence hereof, the form and contents of the policy or policies of insurance, the charges or premiums to be paid therefor, and the part of the charges or premiums to be paid by the employees and the part to be paid by the Commission, shall be approved by the Commission, the Department and the presiding officer of such municipality or county. That part of any charge or premium paid by the Commission shall be paid out of the separate fund referred to in Section 21 hereof.
The concurring vote of three commissioners shall be required for the exercise of any of the powers granted by this Act.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/10) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 72)
Sec. 10. No commissioner shall receive any compensation, whether in form of salary, per diem allowances or otherwise, for or in connection with his services as such commissioner. Each commissioner, however, shall be entitled to reimbursement out of the separate fund referred to in Section 21 hereof, for any necessary expenditures in connection with the performance of his duties.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/11) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 73)
Sec. 11. A Commission shall be a municipal corporation and shall constitute a body both corporate and politic, exercising public and essential governmental functions, and having all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this Act. It may sue and be sued, and have a seal and alter the same at pleasure, have perpetual succession, make and execute contracts, deeds and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers, and make and from time to time amend and repeal by-laws, rules and regulations not inconsistent with this Act. In addition it shall have the following powers:
(a) To acquire slum and blighted areas and other areas which may constitute a redevelopment project as provided in this Act;
(b) To clear any such areas so acquired by demolition or removal of existing buildings and structures thereon; and to install, repair, construct or reconstruct streets, utilities and site improvements essential to the preparation of sites for use in accordance with a redevelopment plan;
(c) To convey real property so acquired for use in accordance with a redevelopment plan;
(d) To borrow money, to apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions, gifts, services, or other financial assistance, from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, the State, County, Municipality or other public body or from any sources, public or private, for or in aid of any of the purposes of this Act, and to secure the payment of any loans or advances by the issuance of bonds (as hereinafter defined), and by the pledge of any loan, grant, or contribution, or parts thereof, or the contracts therefor, to be received from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, and to enter into and carry out contracts in connection therewith; to redeem its bonds at the redemption price established therein or to purchase them at less than the redemption price, all bonds so redeemed or purchased to be cancelled; provided that in no event shall any bonds issued by the Commission be payable except out of the revenues or funds specifically designated in this Act for such payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act a Commission shall not borrow money from any source other than the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof without obtaining approval of the Department and the governing body of the municipality. A Commission, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, may include in any contract for financial assistance with the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof for a redevelopment project, such conditions imposed pursuant to Federal law as the Commission may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this Act or with the foregoing proviso;
(e) To accomplish a combination of the foregoing to carry out a redevelopment plan; and
(f) To make or have made all surveys and planning necessary to the carrying out of the purposes of this Act and the Blighted Areas Redevelopment Act of 1947, and to contract with any person in the making and carrying out of such planning, and to adopt or approve, modify and amend such planning. Such planning may include, without limitation:
1. A general plan for the locality;
2. Planning for carrying out a program of voluntary repair and rehabilitation of buildings and improvements;
3. Planning for the enforcement of state and local laws, codes and regulations relating to the use of land and the use and occupancy of buildings and improvements and to the repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal of buildings and improvements;
(g) To incur the entire expense of any public improvements to be made within a Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project.
(h) To furnish, dedicate, close, vacate, pave, and install, grade, regrade, plan or replan streets, roads, sidewalks, public way or other places.
(i) To install, construct or reconstruct streets, utilities, parks, playgrounds, and other improvements necessary for carrying out the objectives of this Act in a Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project.
(j) To carry out a Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project for the voluntary repair and rehabilitation of buildings and other improvements including the acquisition and clearance of any property so designated within such a rehabilitation area.
(k) To provide for the rehabilitation or conservation of slum or blighted areas or portions thereof by replanning, by removing congestion, by providing parks, playgrounds and other public improvements, by encouraging voluntary rehabilitation of deteriorated or deteriorating structures.
In relation to the foregoing powers a Commission may investigate into living and housing conditions in its area of operation to determine the extent and location of slum and blighted areas and other areas which may constitute a redevelopment project as defined herein and to ascertain in which of such area or areas development or redevelopment should be undertaken, and in connection with any such investigation may conduct public hearings, take testimony and proof under oath on the subject matter of such investigation, and cooperate with the planning agency of the municipality wholly or partially within its area of operation.
The Commission shall have power to make studies, surveys and plans preliminary to or concerning any projects which are permissible under this Act.
A Land Clearance Commission shall not be limited to one development or redevelopment project, but may have as many projects in process at any one time as it may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act.
A Commission shall have no power to build or operate housing on any real property acquired pursuant to this Act, other than to manage, operate and maintain existing housing or other buildings and improvements located thereon at the time of acquisition pending the demolition and removal of such buildings or improvements or the sale of any such buildings or improvements the demolition or removal of which is not deemed necessary to the redevelopment plan, and to use the rents and income to pay any expense in connection therewith.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/11.1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 73.1)
Sec. 11.1. Purchases made pursuant to this Act shall be made in compliance with the "Local Government Prompt Payment Act", approved by the Eighty-fourth General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 84-731.)

(315 ILCS 5/12) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 74)
Sec. 12. In making investigations herein authorized the Commission may hold public hearings. Any hearing may be conducted by the Commission or by a committee appointed by it, consisting of one or more members of the Commission, or by an employee or agent specially authorized by the Commission to conduct it. The Commission and any member, employee or agent thereof so designated shall have power to administer oaths, take affidavits, subpoena and require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books and papers pertaining to such investigation.
In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, the circuit court of the county in which such person resides or has his principal place of business, upon application by the Commission, shall have jurisdiction to issue to such person an order requiring such person to appear before the Commission or before any member, employee or agent thereof designated to conduct such hearing there to produce evidence, if so desired, or there to give testimony touching the matter under investigation and any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by said court as a contempt thereof.
The officials of any city, village or town and the members of any zoning commission shall, when requested so to do by any member of the Commission, make available for inspection by the Commission or by any committee, employee or agent of the Commission, any and all records and data which they may have pertaining to an area which is then being investigated.
(Source: Laws 1965, p. 3552.)

(315 ILCS 5/13) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 75)
Sec. 13. Whenever a Commission determines that a particular slum or blighted area, or any other area which may constitute a redevelopment project, as herein defined, should be acquired, rehabilitated or conserved, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, such determination together with an accurate description of the area included in such determination and the date on which the determination was made shall be immediately set forth in the records of the Commission. Such determinations by a Commission may be made from time to time and need not all be made at one time. Each such determination shall be evidenced by a resolution adopted by the Land Clearance Commission.
The area of each such determination shall be specifically designated in the resolution as a "Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project" or a "Blighted Vacant Area Redevelopment Project", according to the determination of the Commission; provided, that any determination made prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act and designated as a "redevelopment project" as required by the provisions of this Section in force prior to such effective date shall constitute a determination that the project is a "Slum and Blighted Area Redevelopment Project" and shall not require the adoption of a new or amendatory resolution so describing the area involved in such determination. A certified copy of such resolution shall be delivered to the Department and to the governing body of the municipality in which the area is situated. No such determination shall be of any force or effect until such time as it has been approved by the Department and the governing body of the Municipality in which the area is situated.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/14) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 76)
Sec. 14. Upon approval of the determination as provided in the preceding Section the Land Clearance Commission may proceed to plan and undertake a redevelopment project which includes conservation and rehabilitation as previously defined in this Act and to acquire by gift, purchase or condemnation the fee simple title to all real property lying within the area included in the redevelopment project, including easements and reversionary interests in the streets, alleys and other public places lying within such area. If any such real property is subject to an easement the Commission, in its discretion, may acquire the fee simple title to such real property subject to such easement if it determines that such easement will not interfere with the consummation of a redevelopment plan. If any such real property is already devoted to a public use it may nevertheless be acquired, provided that no property belonging to the United States of America, the State of Illinois or any municipality may be acquired without the consent of such governmental unit and that no property devoted to a public use belonging to a corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the Illinois Commerce Commission may be acquired without the approval of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Each Land Clearance Commission is vested with the power to exercise the right of eminent domain. Condemnation proceedings instituted by Land Clearance Commissions shall be in all respects in the manner provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act.
(Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)

(315 ILCS 5/14.5)
Sec. 14.5. Eminent domain. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, any power granted under this Act to acquire property by condemnation or eminent domain is subject to, and shall be exercised in accordance with, the Eminent Domain Act.
(Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)

(315 ILCS 5/15) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 77)
Sec. 15.
When a Land Clearance Commission has acquired title to, and possession of, all or any part of the real property located within a redevelopment project pursuant to the provisions of this Act, it may let contracts for the demolition or removal of buildings standing thereon and for the removal of any debris resulting therefrom. The Commission shall advertise for sealed bids for the doing of such work. The advertisement shall describe by street number or other means of identification the location of the buildings which are to be demolished or removed and shall state the time when and place where sealed bids for the doing of the work may be delivered to the Commission. The advertisement shall be published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality in which the real property is situated at least twenty (20) days prior to the date named therein when time for receiving bids will expire. A contract for the doing of the work shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, but the Commission may reject any and all bids received and readvertise for bids. Any contract entered into by the Commission pursuant to this Section shall contain provisions requiring the contractor to give bond in an amount equal to one-third of his bid price, but in no event in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), conditioned for the faithful performance of the contract and requiring the contractor to furnish insurance of a character and amount to be determined by the Commission protecting the Commission and the municipality and their officers, agents and employees against any claims for personal injuries (including death) and property damage that may be asserted because of the doing of the work. The Commission may include in any advertisement and in the contract to be let pursuant thereto one or more buildings, or such group of buildings, as the Commission in its sole discretion may determine.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/16) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 78)
Sec. 16. The Land Clearance Commission, if it sees fit so to do, may pave and improve streets in the area included in the redevelopment project, construct sidewalks and install or re-locate sewers, water pipes, and other similar facilities. The Commission shall advertise for sealed bids for the doing of the work referred to in this Section. The advertisement shall describe the nature of the work to be performed and shall state the time when and place where sealed bids for the doing of the work may be delivered to the Commission. The advertisement shall be published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality in which the redevelopment project is situated at least twenty (20) days prior to the date named therein when the time for receiving bids will expire. A contract for the doing of the work shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, but the Commission may reject any and all bids received and re-advertise for bids. The contractor shall be required to enter into bond in an amount equal to one-third of the amount of his bid conditioned for the faithful performance of the contract. The sureties on any such bond and on any bond to be given pursuant to the provisions of Section 15 hereof shall be approved by the Chairman of the Land Clearance Commission.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/17) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 79)
Sec. 17. When the Commission has acquired title to, and possession of any or all real property in the area of a redevelopment project, the Commission (1) may convey to the municipality in which the project is located (for street or alley purposes) and without any monetary consideration therefor, such parts thereof as are to be laid out into streets or alleys; (2) with the approval of the Department, may convey to that municipality or to any public body having jurisdiction over schools, parks or playgrounds in the area in which the project is situated such parts of such real property for use for parks, playgrounds, schools and other public purposes as the Commission may determine, and at such price or prices as the Commission and the proper officials of such public bodies may agree upon; and (3) with the approval of the Department, may grant easements for public utilities, sewers and other similar facilities, with or without consideration therefor.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/18) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 80)
Sec. 18. The Commission, with the approval of the Department and the governing body of the municipality in which the redevelopment project is located, may sell and convey not to exceed 25% of all the real property which is to be used for residential purposes in the area or areas of a redevelopment project or projects to a Housing Authority created under an Act entitled "An Act in relation to housing authorities", approved March 19, 1934, as amended, having jurisdiction within the area of the redevelopment project or projects, to provide housing projects pursuant to said last mentioned Act; provided the Department determines that it is not practicable or feasible to otherwise relocate eligible persons residing in the area of the redevelopment project or projects in decent, safe and uncongested dwelling accommodations within their financial reach, unless such a housing project is undertaken by the Housing Authority, and provided further that first preference for occupancy in any such housing project developed by the Housing Authority on such real property shall be granted to eligible persons from the area included in the redevelopment project or projects that can not otherwise be relocated in decent, safe and uncongested dwelling accommodations within their financial reach.
Any real property sold and conveyed to a Housing Authority pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be sold at its use value (which may be less than its acquisition cost), which represents the value at which the Commission determines such land should be made available in order that it may be redeveloped for the purposes specified in this Section.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/18.1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 80a)
Sec. 18.1. A Commission created for a municipality having a population in excess of 500,000 as determined by the last preceding Federal or State census, with the approval of the Department and the governing body of the municipality in which the project is located, may sell and convey any part of the real property within the area of a slum and blighted area redevelopment project as defined in Subsection (k) of Section 3 hereof to a Housing Authority created under an Act entitled "An Act in relation to housing authorities," approved March 19, 1934, as amended, having jurisdiction within the area of the redevelopment project or projects. Any real property sold and conveyed to a Housing Authority pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be for the sole purpose of resale pursuant to the terms and provisions of Section 5 of an Act entitled "An Act to facilitate the development and construction of housing, to provide governmental assistance therefor, and to repeal an Act herein named," approved July 2, 1947, to a nonprofit corporation, or nonprofit corporations, organized for the purpose of constructing, managing and operating housing projects and the improvement of housing conditions, including the sale or rental of housing units to persons in need thereof. No sale shall be consummated pursuant to this Section unless the nonprofit corporation to which the Housing Authority is to resell, obligates itself to use the land for the purposes designated in the approved plan referred to in Section 19.1 hereof and to commence and complete the building of the improvements within the periods of time which the Commission fixes as reasonable and unless the Commission is satisfied that the nonprofit corporation will have sufficient moneys to complete the redevelopment in accordance with the approved plan.
Any real property sold and conveyed to a Housing Authority pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be sold at its use value (which may be less than its acquisition cost), which represents the value at which the Commission determines such land should be made available in order that it may be developed or redeveloped for the purposes specified in the approved plan.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/19) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 81)
Sec. 19. The Commission may at such times as it deems expedient transfer and sell the fee simple title, or such lesser estate as the Commission may have heretofore acquired or may hereafter acquire, to all or any part of the real property within the area of a redevelopment project not disposed of in accordance with Sections 17, 18 and 18.1 hereof to (1) Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporations operating under the "Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation Law", approved July 9, 1941, as amended, (2) Insurance Companies operating under Article VIII of the Illinois Insurance Code, (3) any individual, association, or corporation, organized under the laws of this State or of any other State or country, which may legally make such investments in this State, including foreign and alien insurance companies, as defined in Section 2 of the Illinois Insurance Code, or (4) bodies politic and corporate, public corporations, or any private interests empowered by law to acquire, develop and use such real property for such uses, public or private, as are in accordance with an approved plan; provided, however, that any sale of real property to a Housing Authority shall be made only in accordance with the provisions of Sections 18 and 18.1 hereof. To assure that the real property so sold is used in accordance with the approved plan referred to in Section 19.1 hereof, the Commission shall inquire into and satisfy itself concerning the financial ability of the purchaser to complete the redevelopment in accordance with the approved plan and shall require the purchaser to execute in writing such undertakings as the Commission may deem necessary to obligate the purchaser: (1) to use the land for the purposes designated in the approved plan, (2) to commence and complete the building of the improvements within the periods of time which the Commission fixes as reasonable, and (3) to comply with such other conditions as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Any such area may be sold either as an entirety or in such parcels as the Commission shall deem expedient. It shall not be necessary that title be acquired to all real property within the area of a redevelopment project before the sale of a part thereof may be made as provided herein. Any real property sold pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall be sold at its use value (which may be less than its acquisition cost), which represents the value at which the Commission determines such land should be made available in order that it may be developed or redeveloped for the purposes specified in the approved plan.
Any real property lying within the area of a redevelopment project which has not been sold by the Commission within 5 years after the Commission has acquired title to all the real property within the area of that redevelopment project, shall be forthwith sold by the Commission at public sale for cash to the highest bidder obligating himself in the manner set forth in the preceding paragraph of this Section to redevelop the property in accordance with the approved plan. Notice of such sale and of the place where the approved plan may be inspected shall be published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality in which the real property is situated at least 20 days prior to the date of such public sale, and shall contain a description of the real property to be sold.
The Commission may reject the bids received if, in the opinion of the Commission, the highest bid does not equal or exceed the use value (as herein above defined) of the land to be sold. At the expiration of six (6) months from the date of rejecting bids, the Commission shall again advertise for sale any real property then remaining unsold. Each publication shall be subject to the same requirements and conditions as the original publication.
(Source: P.A. 90-418, eff. 8-15-97.)

(315 ILCS 5/19.1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 81a)
Sec. 19.1. Prior to making a sale or conveyance of any part of the real property within the area of a redevelopment project pursuant to any of the foregoing Sections of this Act, the Commission shall prepare and approve a plan for the development or redevelopment of the project area and shall submit the same to the Department and to the governing body of the municipality in which the real property is situated for their approval. The Commission shall not make a sale or conveyance of any part of the real property in the project area until such time as the plan has been approved by the Department and by the governing body of the municipality in which the real property is situated.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/20) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 82)
Sec. 20. The sale of any real property by a Land Clearance Commission where required to be made for a monetary consideration, except public sales as provided in the last paragraph of Section 19, shall be subject to the approval of the Department and the governing body of the municipality in which the real property is located.
All deeds of conveyances shall be executed in the name of the Land Clearance Commission by the Chairman and Secretary of the Commission and the seal of the Commission shall be attached thereto. Any deed of conveyance by the Commission may provide such restrictions as are required by the plan for redevelopment and the building and zoning ordinances, but no deed of conveyance either by the Commission or any subsequent owner shall contain a covenant running with the land or other provision prohibiting occupancy of the premises by any person because of race, creed, color, religion, physical or mental disability, national origin or sex.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(315 ILCS 5/21) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 83)
Sec. 21. Any Land Clearance Commission may apply to the Department for the grant of a sum from the amount appropriated for grants under this Act to aid and assist in carrying out redevelopment projects. Every application shall state the amount applied for and if made by a Land Clearance Commission whose area of operation includes more than one municipality shall state separately the amount to be expended in each municipality on behalf of which the application is made and each such separate amount shall be treated as a separate application. Every application shall have attached thereto a certified copy of a resolution of the governing body of the municipality within which the amount of such grant is to be expended that in the event the application is approved in whole or in part such municipality will endeavor to make available and pay to the Land Clearance Commission to be deposited by it in the fund referred to in this Section an amount at least equal to the amount so approved by the Department. No application shall be considered which does not comply with the foregoing requirements. The Department shall not approve any application for a grant within a period of 120 days after July 2, 1947. Upon the expiration of the 120 day period, the Department shall consider all applications for grants presented to it within this period of time, the same as if all such applications had been presented at the same time. The Department shall review all applications for grants and shall determine the actual needs of any applicant therefor. In determining such needs, it shall consider the prevalence of slum and blighted areas and such other areas as may constitute a redevelopment project in the area of operation of the applicant, the number of unsafe, unsanitary and congested dwelling units in the areas of operation of the respective applicants for grants, and the extent and scope of the degenerative conditions described in Section 2 prevailing in any such area as a result of the existence of slum and blighted areas or the necessity for the development or redevelopment of predominantly open land for sound community growth. The Department may deny any such application if it determines that no need therefor exists, or it may approve the application in whole or in part in accordance with its determination of need. If the appropriation made for this Act is insufficient to provide grants to all applicants on the basis of their needs as determined by the Department, the Department may determine and select the areas of operation for which grants shall be made on the basis of the relative needs of the applicants for slum and blight eradication. No application shall be approved in whole or in part unless the Department is satisfied that the amount approved will be properly employed by the Land Clearance Commission in the acquisition of a redevelopment project or projects and the development or redevelopment thereof. Whenever the Department approves any application in whole or in part, it shall immediately allocate and set aside for use by that Land Clearance Commission from the appropriation to be provided for this Act the amount so approved, and the Director of the Department shall thereupon notify the Land Clearance Commission and the presiding officer of the municipality within which such allocation is to be expended of the amount of such allocation. If the aggregate of the amounts so allocated and set aside by the Department pursuant to applications for grants presented within the 120 day period does not exhaust the appropriation, the Department shall consider applications for grants presented subsequent to the 120 day period in the manner provided in the order of their presentation. Upon the expiration of 18 months after July 2, 1947 that part of any allocation made to a Land Clearance Commission which has not been previously paid over to that Commission pursuant to this Section shall lapse and the Department may thereafter, from time to time, use these monies in making allocations to Land Clearance Commissions in the manner provided the same as if such monies had never been allocated.
No part of the amount allocated and set aside to a Land Clearance Commission shall be paid out to that Commission except to the extent necessary to match monies paid to that Commission by the municipality for whose benefit the allocation was made, and then only in an amount equal to, but not exceeding, the amount so paid to the Commission by the municipality. Whenever and as often as a municipality for whose benefit an allocation has been made by the Department shall pay to the Land Clearance Commission an amount of money to be matched out of funds so allocated, the presiding officer of such municipality shall notify the Department in writing of the amount so paid to the Land Clearance Commission and the Director of the Department shall thereupon certify to the State Comptroller for payment to the Land Clearance Commission from the appropriation to be made available for this Act an amount equal to the payment so made by the municipality and such amount shall thereupon be paid to the Land Clearance Commission from such appropriation. Any amount so paid to a Land Clearance Commission shall be charged by the Department against the allocation made to that Commission. The aggregate of the amounts so certified by the Director of the Department to the Comptroller for payment to any Land Clearance Commission shall not exceed the amount of the allocation or allocations previously made to that Land Clearance Commission. All amounts paid to a Land Clearance Commission by a municipality and by the State pursuant to this Section shall be deposited in a separate fund by the Commission and shall be used solely for the purposes specified in Sections 9, 10, 14, 15, and 16 and such other purposes as are authorized by this Act.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/22) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 84)
Sec. 22. If an allocation from the monies to be appropriated for this Act is made and set aside to a Land Clearance Commission having the same area of operation as a Housing Authority and that Housing Authority has received a grant of state funds from the appropriation made in "An Act to promote the improvement of housing," approved July 26, 1945, then all or any portion of the unexpended and unobligated part of any such grant to the Housing Authority may be used by the Department, with the consent of the Housing Authority, as an additional allocation to the Land Clearance Commission to be used by the Department in matching monies paid by the municipality into the separate fund referred to in Section 21 hereof, but only to the extent that the monies paid by the municipality and deposited in said separate fund exceed the amount of the allocation made to that Land Clearance Commission under Section 21 hereof.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/23) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 85)
Sec. 23. For the purpose of aiding and cooperating with Land Clearance Commissions in accomplishing the objectives of this Act any state public body (city, village, incorporated town, county, municipal corporation, commission, district, authority, or other subdivision or public body of the State) may cause parks, playgrounds, water, sewer or drainage facilities to be furnished adjacent to or in connection with a redevelopment project; and, any municipality within the area of operation of a Land Clearance Commission may assign or loan any of its employees to that Land Clearance Commission in aid of the performance of the work of such Commission, and provide necessary office space, equipment or other facilities for the Land Clearance Commission.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/23a) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 85a)
Sec. 23a. For the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking or carrying out of a redevelopment project, the governing body of any municipality, after public hearing, may direct the municipality to enter into cooperation and conveyance agreements with any hospital or educational institution of higher learning, both public and private, or any private corporation acting on behalf of such institutions, respecting the redevelopment or renewal of slum or blighted areas embracing, adjacent to, or in the immediate vicinity of such hospital, educational institution or a major branch thereof and may, in addition to its other powers and upon such terms, with or without consideration, as it may determine, perform such cooperation and conveyance agreements and do and perform any or all of the actions or things necessary or desirable to assure that the municipality obtains credit as a local grant-in-aid for the aggregate amount of expenditures made by any such hospital, educational institution, or private corporation acting on behalf of such institutions, which would be eligible as such under Title I of the Federal Housing Act of 1949, as amended.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 3616.)

(315 ILCS 5/24) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 86)
Sec. 24. Every municipality is authorized and empowered to incur indebtedness and issue bonds in such amount or amounts as the governing body of the municipality deems necessary for the purpose of raising funds to be paid to a Land Clearance Commission whose area of operation includes that municipality in aid of the eradication and elimination of slum and blighted areas and the acquisition, development or redevelopment of any other areas which may constitute a redevelopment project within that municipality. The ordinance authorizing the issuance of such bonds shall specify the total amount of bonds to be issued, the form and denomination of the bonds, the date they are to bear, the place at which they are payable, the date or dates of maturity, which shall not be later than twenty (20) years after the date the bonds bear, the rate of interest which shall not exceed the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, as amended at the time of the making of the contract, and the dates on which interest is payable. The bonds shall be executed by such officials as may be provided in the ordinance authorizing their issue. They may be made registerable as to principal and may be made callable on any interest payment date at par and accrued interest after notice has been given at the time and in the manner provided in the bond ordinance. The bonds shall remain valid even though one or more of the officers executing the bonds ceases to hold his or their offices before the bonds are delivered.
The bonds shall be sold to the highest and best bidder at not less than their par value and accrued interest. The municipality shall, from time to time as bonds are to be sold, advertise for proposals to purchase the bonds. Each such advertisement may be published in such newspapers and journals as the governing body of the municipality may determine but must be published at least once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality at least ten days prior to the date of the opening of the bids. The municipality may reserve the right to reject any and all bids and readvertise for bids.
The ordinance authorizing the bonds shall prescribe all the details thereof and shall provide for the levy and collection of a direct annual tax upon all the taxable property within the municipality sufficient to pay the principal thereof and interest thereon as it matures. This tax shall be in addition to and exclusive of the maximum of all other taxes authorized to be levied by the municipality. Tax limitations provided by other statutes of this State shall not apply to taxes levied for payment of these bonds. A certified copy of the bond ordinance shall be filed with the County Clerk of the county in which the municipality or any portion thereof is situated and shall constitute the authority for the extension and collection of such taxes.
If there is no default in payment of the principal or interest upon the bonds, and if after setting aside a sum of money equal to the amount of interest that will accrue on the bonds and a sum of money equal to the amount of principal that will become due thereon within the next six (6) months' period, the treasurer and comptroller, if there is a comptroller, of the municipality shall use the money available from the proceeds of the taxes levied for the payment of the bonds in calling them for payment, if by their terms they are subject to redemption. A municipality may provide in the bond ordinance that whenever the municipality is not in default in payment of the principal of or interest on the bonds and has set aside the sums of money provided in this paragraph for interest accruing and principal maturing within the next six (6) months' period, the money available from the proceeds of taxes levied for the payment of these bonds shall be used first in the purchase of the bonds at the lowest price obtainable, but not to exceed their par value and accrued interest, after sealed tenders for their purchase have been advertised for as may be directed by the corporate authorities thereof.
Bonds called for payment and paid or purchased under this Section shall be marked paid and cancelled.
Whenever any bonds are purchased or redeemed and cancelled, the taxes thereafter to be extended for payment of the principal of and interest on the remainder of the issue shall be reduced in an amount equal to the principal of and the interest that would have thereafter accrued upon the bonds so cancelled. A resolution shall be adopted by the corporate authorities of the municipality finding these facts. A certified copy of this resolution shall be filed with the County Clerk of the county in which the municipality, or any portion thereof, is situated, whereupon the County Clerk shall reduce and extend such tax levies in accordance therewith.
The ordinance may provide for the creation of a sinking fund to consist of the proceeds of taxes levied for the payment of the principal of an interest upon these bonds. This fund shall be faithfully applied to the purchase or payment of the bonds, and interest thereon, issued pursuant to the provisions of this Act.
Bonds issued by a municipality for the purposes herein set forth shall not be in excess of any existing statutory limitation on municipal indebtedness, nor shall any municipality by the issuance of the bonds provided for in this Act be allowed to become indebted in any manner or for any purpose to an amount including existing indebtedness in the aggregate exceeding five per centum (5%) on the value of taxable property therein to be ascertained by the last assessment for State and County taxes previous to the incurring of such indebtedness.
No ordinance providing for the issuance of such bonds shall be effective until it has been submitted to referendum of, and approved by, the electors of that municipality in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8-4-1 and 8-4-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as heretofore and hereafter amended.
In addition to the power to issue bonds as herein provided, every municipality is authorized and empowered to appropriate and pay to the Land Clearance Commission, whose area of operation includes that municipality, available funds for the eradication and elimination of slum and blighted areas in that municipality in the manner provided in this Act, including the proceeds of bonds issued pursuant to the corporate powers specified in Section 11-11-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as heretofore and hereafter amended.
A municipality may make payments to a Land Clearance Commission for the purposes specified in this Act even though such payments are not to be matched by state funds.
Every municipality is authorized to accept donations, contributions, capital grants, or gifts, from individuals, associations, corporations and the United States of America, or any agency or instrumentality thereof (including the Housing and Home Finance Agency), and to pay the same into the separate fund of the Land Clearance Commission whose area of operation includes such municipality.
Any municipality which has issued bonds pursuant to this section may by ordinance authorize the use of the bond proceeds, or any portion thereof, by a land clearance commission for the additional objectives and powers authorized by this amendatory Act.
With respect to instruments for the payment of money issued under this Section either before, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989, it is and always has been the intention of the General Assembly (i) that the Omnibus Bond Acts are and always have been supplementary grants of power to issue instruments in accordance with the Omnibus Bond Acts, regardless of any provision of this Act that may appear to be or to have been more restrictive than those Acts, (ii) that the provisions of this Section are not a limitation on the supplementary authority granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts, and (iii) that instruments issued under this Section within the supplementary authority granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts are not invalid because of any provision of this Act that may appear to be or to have been more restrictive than those Acts.
(Source: P.A. 86-4.)

(315 ILCS 5/25) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 87)
Sec. 25. With the approval of the Department and the governing body of the municipality, a Land Clearance Commission may use any of the funds arising from the sale of any property acquired by the use of the separate fund herein provided for in furtherance of any of the purposes of this Act in such municipality in the manner provided in this Act. Upon a certificate presented by a Land Clearance Commission to the Department to the effect that such Commission has completed any project undertaken by it under this Act and that it has no other or further duties to perform in its area of operation, the Department shall require the Land Clearance Commission to repay to the State of Illinois and to the municipality included in the area of its operation any unexpended and unobligated funds of the Commission, in the proportion in which grants were made to such Commission by the State and the municipality, including therein grants, if any, made by the State to the Commission pursuant to any appropriations for slum and blight eradication, land clearance or other authorized purpose. Grants made pursuant to Section 22 shall be considered as grants made by the State.
Provided, however, that when a Department of Urban Renewal is established pursuant to the provisions of the "Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961", enacted by the Seventy-Second General Assembly, in a municipality in which a Land Clearance Commission exists, such Land Clearance Commission, in accordance with the provisions of said Urban Renewal Consolidation Act of 1961, shall transfer and pay over to the municipality which initiated the creation of such Department of Urban Renewal all unexpended and unobligated funds of the Commission.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/25a)
Sec. 25a. (Repealed).
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 1490. Repealed by P.A. 99-576, eff. 7-15-16.)

(315 ILCS 5/26) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 88)
Sec. 26. The Department may, in its discretion, prescribe methods and forms for keeping accounts, records and books to be used by a Commission, and prescribe accounts to which particular outlays and receipts shall be entered, charged, or credited. The Department may require a Commission to file periodical reports not oftener than quarterly covering its operations and activities in a form prescribed by the Department and may, from time to time, require specific answers to questions upon which the Department may desire information. Copies of all such reports shall be submitted to the governing body of the municipality or county, as the case may be, of the area of operation of the Commission.
The Department or governing body of the municipality or county which initiated the creation of a Land Clearance Commission may investigate the conditions and affairs of the Commission, its dealings, transactions or relationships, and may through its members or employees examine its books, contracts, records, documents and papers.
In its annual report to the Governor the Department shall present a detailed statement regarding the fund of each Commission to which a grant has been made and the uses to which such fund has been applied.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

(315 ILCS 5/26.1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 88.1)
Sec. 26.1. (a) A Commission shall have power to issue bonds from time to time in its discretion to procure funds for any of its corporate purposes, including the payment of principal and interest upon any advances for surveys and plans for redevelopment projects. A Commission shall also have power to issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying or retiring or in exchange for bonds previously issued by it. "Bonds" as used in Sections 11, 26.1, 26.2 and 26.4 of this Act shall mean any bonds (including refunding bonds) notes, interim certificates, debentures, or other obligations issued by a commission pursuant to this Section, and the words "bondholder" or "bondholders" as used in Section 26.3 of this Act shall mean the holder or holders of any such bonds. A Commission shall issue such types of bonds as it may determine, provided that the principal of and interest on such bonds shall be payable, and such bonds shall contain a provision that the principal thereof and interest thereon shall be payable exclusively from the proceeds and revenues of any redevelopment project which is financed in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds, together with that amount of the funds of the Commission from whatever source derived as is necessary to constitute the local cash grant-in-aid for the project within the meaning of applicable federal law; provided, however, that any such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any loan, grant or contribution, or parts thereof, thereafter to be received from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or by the contracts therefor.
(b) Neither the members of a Land Clearance Commission nor any person executing such bonds shall be liable personally thereon by reason of the issuance thereof. Such bonds (and the same shall so state on their face) shall not be a debt of any city, village, incorporated town, county, the State or any political subdivision thereof and neither the city, village, incorporated town or the county, nor the State or any political subdivision thereof, shall be liable thereon, nor in any event shall such bonds be payable out of any funds or properties of a Land Clearance Commission other than those enumerated in this Section. Such bonds shall not constitute an indebtedness within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory debt limitation or restriction. Bonds of a Commission are declared to be issued for an essential public and governmental purpose.
(c) Bonds of a Commission shall be authorized by its resolution and may be issued in one or more series and shall bear such date or dates, shall mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, not exceeding the maximum rate authorized by the Bond Authorization Act, as amended at the time of the making of the contract, be in such denomination or denominations, be in such form either coupon or registered, carry registration privileges, have such priority, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, and be subject to such terms of redemption (with or without premium) as such resolution, any trust indenture relating thereto, and the bonds issued may provide. Notwithstanding any other laws to the contrary, bonds authorized under this section may be issued without submitting any proposition thereon to the electorate by referendum or otherwise.
(d) The bonds shall be sold at not less than par and accrued interest.
(e) In case any of the commissioners or officers of the Commission whose signatures appear on any bonds or coupons shall cease to be such commissioners or officers before the delivery of such bonds, such signatures shall, nevertheless, be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if such commissioners or officers had remained in office until such delivery. Any provision of any law to the contrary notwithstanding, any bonds issued pursuant to this Act shall be fully negotiable.
(f) In any suit, action or proceedings involving the validity or enforceability of any bond of a Commission or the security therefor, any such bond reciting in substance that it has been issued by the Commission, to aid in financing any redevelopment projects pursuant to this Act and for any other purposes authorized by this Act shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued for such projects and other purposes and such projects shall be conclusively deemed to have been planned, located and carried out in accordance with the purposes and provisions of this Act.
With respect to instruments for the payment of money issued under this Section either before, on, or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1989, it is and always has been the intention of the General Assembly (i) that the Omnibus Bond Acts are and always have been supplementary grants of power to issue instruments in accordance with the Omnibus Bond Acts, regardless of any provision of this Act that may appear to be or to have been more restrictive than those Acts, (ii) that the provisions of this Section are not a limitation on the supplementary authority granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts, and (iii) that instruments issued under this Section within the supplementary authority granted by the Omnibus Bond Acts are not invalid because of any provision of this Act that may appear to be or to have been more restrictive than those Acts.
(Source: P.A. 86-4.)

(315 ILCS 5/26.2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 88.2)
Sec. 26.2. In connection with the issuance of bonds and in order to secure the payment of such bonds, a Commission, in addition to its other powers, shall have power in the bond resolution, subject to the limitations, terms and provisions in this Act contained:
(a) To pledge all or any part of its revenues to which its right then exists or may thereafter come into existence.
(b) To covenant against pledging all or any part of its revenues, or against permitting or allowing any lien on its revenues or property; and to covenant as to what other, or additional debts or obligations may be incurred by it.
(c) To covenant as to the bonds to be issued and as to the issuance of such bonds in escrow or otherwise, and as to the use and disposition of the proceeds thereof; to provide for the replacement of lost, destroyed or mutilated bonds; and to covenant for their redemption and to provide the terms and conditions thereof.
(d) To covenant as to the use and disposition to be made of all or any part of its revenues; and to create or to authorize the creation of special funds for moneys held for operating costs, debt service, reserves, or other purposes, and to covenant as to the use and disposition of the moneys held in such funds.
(e) To prescribe the procedure, if any, by which the terms of any contract with bondholders may be amended or abrogated, the amount of bonds the holders of which must consent thereto and the manner in which such consent may be given.
(f) To covenant as to the rights, liabilities, powers and duties arising upon the breach by it of any covenant, condition, or obligation; and to covenant and prescribe as to events of default and terms and conditions upon which any or all of its bonds shall become or may be declared due before maturity, and as to the terms and conditions upon which such declaration and its consequences may be waived.
(g) To vest in a trustee or trustees or the holders of bonds or any specified proportion of them the right to enforce the payment of the bonds or any covenants securing or relating to the bonds; and to enforce collection of the proceeds and revenues arising from any redevelopment project which have been pledged to secure such bonds and to dispose of such moneys in accordance with the agreement of the Commission with such trustee or trustees, or obligee or obligees; to provide for the powers and duties of such trustee or trustees and obligee or obligees and to limit the liabilities thereof; and to provide the terms and conditions upon which such trustee or trustees, or obligee or obligees may enforce any covenant or rights securing or relating to the bonds; and
(h) To exercise all or any part or combination of the powers herein granted; to make covenants other than and in addition to the covenants herein expressly authorized, of like or different character; to make such covenants and to do any and all such acts and things as may be necessary or convenient or desirable in order to secure its bonds, or, in the absolute discretion of the Commission, as will tend to make the bonds more marketable notwithstanding that such covenants, acts or things may not be enumerated herein.
(Source: P.A. 84-551.)

(315 ILCS 5/26.3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 88.3)
Sec. 26.3. A bondholder or trustee for a bondholder shall have the right in addition to all other rights which may be conferred on such bondholder or trustee, subject to any contractual restrictions binding upon such bondholder or trustee, and to the limitations, terms and provisions in this Act contained:
(a) By mandamus, injunction, civil action or proceeding to compel said Commission and the commissioners, officers, agents, or employees thereof to perform each and every term, provision and covenant contained in the bond resolution and in any contract of the Commission with or for the benefit of such bondholder or trustee, and to require the carrying out of any or all such covenants and agreements of said Commission and the fulfillment of all duties imposed upon said Commission by this Act.
(b) By action or proceeding to enjoin any acts or things which may be unlawful, or the violation of any of the rights of such bondholders.
(Source: P.A. 83-345.)

(315 ILCS 5/26.4) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 88.4)
Sec. 26.4. The State and all counties, cities, villages, incorporated towns and other municipal corporations, political subdivisions and public bodies and public officers of any thereof, all banks, bankers, trust companies, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, investment companies and other persons carrying on a banking business, all insurance companies, insurance associations and other persons carrying on an insurance business, and all executors, administrators, guardians, trustees and other fiduciaries may legally invest any sinking funds, moneys or other funds belonging to them or within their control in any bonds of a land clearance commission issued in connection with a project for which the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof, the State, or any political subdivision of the State has extended or provided for or has agreed to extend or provide for, financial assistance which prior to the maturity of such bonds, will be in an amount which (together with any other monies irrevocably committed to the payment of the principal and interest on such bonds) will suffice to pay the principal of such bonds with interest to maturity thereon and which monies are required to be used for the purpose of paying the principal of and the interest on such bonds at their maturity, it being the purpose of this section to authorize the investment in such bonds of all sinking, insurance, retirement, compensation, pension and trust funds, whether owned or controlled by private or public persons or officers; provided, however, that nothing contained in this section may be construed as relieving any person, firm or corporation from any duty of exercising reasonable care in selecting securities.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 1776.)

(315 ILCS 5/27) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 89)
Sec. 27. This Act shall be deemed to create an additional and alternative method for the eradication of slum and blighted areas and for sound community development and redevelopment. This Act shall not be deemed to alter, amend or repeal any other statute having to do with such matters; and no proceedings, actions or notices shall be required for the doing, or as a condition precedent for the doing, of any of the things herein authorized, except such as are prescribed by this Act. The proceedings herein authorized shall not be subject to the Administrative Review Law, as amended.
(Source: P.A. 82-783.)

(315 ILCS 5/28) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 90)
Sec. 28. This Act being necessary for and intended to secure the public health, safety and welfare, the provisions of this Act shall be liberally construed to effectuate the provisions hereof.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)

(315 ILCS 5/29) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91)
Sec. 29. If any section, clause, sentence, paragraph, part or provision of this Act shall be held to be invalid by any Court, it shall be conclusively presumed that the remaining portions of this Act would have been passed by the Legislature without such invalid section, clause, sentence, paragraph, part or provision.
(Source: Laws 1947, p. 1072.)