2020 US Code
Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 9 - Housing of Persons Engaged in National Defense
Subchapter IV - General Provisions Affecting Subchapters Ii to Vii
Sec. 1544 - Power of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to manage, convey, etc., housing properties

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, whether relating to the acquisition, handling, or disposal of real or other property by the United States or to other matters, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, with respect to any property acquired or constructed under the provisions of subchapters II to VII of this chapter, is authorized by means of Government personnel, selected qualified private agencies, or public agencies (a) to deal with, maintain, operate, administer, and insure; (b) to pursue to final collection by way of compromise or otherwise, all claims arising therefrom; (c) to rent, lease, exchange, sell for cash or credit, and convey the whole or any part of such property and to convey without cost portions thereof to local municipalities for street or other public use: Provided, That any such transaction shall be upon such terms, including the period of any lease, as may be deemed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to be in the public interest: Provided further, That the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall fix fair rentals, on projects developed pursuant to subchapters II to VII of this chapter, which shall be based on the value thereof as determined by him, with power during the emergency, in exceptional cases, to adjust the rent to the income of the persons to be housed, and that rentals to be charged for Army, Air Force, and Navy personnel shall be fixed by the Departments of the Army, Air Force, and Navy: Provided further, That any lease authorized hereunder shall not be subject to the provisions of section 1302 of title 40. As used in this section the term "local municipalities" shall include the District of Columbia.

(Oct. 14, 1940, ch. 862, title III, §304, formerly §7, 54 Stat. 1127; renumbered title III, §304, June 28, 1941, ch. 260, §4(b), 55 Stat. 363; amended Jan. 21, 1942, ch. 14, §6, 56 Stat. 12; Ex. Ord. No. 9070, §1, eff. Feb. 24, 1942, 7 F.R. 1529; Apr. 10, 1942, ch. 239, §2, 56 Stat. 212; July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, §§205(a), 207(a), (f), 61 Stat. 501–503; Apr. 20, 1950, ch. 94, title II, §204, 64 Stat. 73; Pub. L. 89–174, §5(a), Sept. 9, 1965, 79 Stat. 669.)

Subchapters III and VI of this chapter, referred to in text, were comprised of sections 1531 to 1536 and 1571 to 1576, respectively, of this title and have been omitted from the Code. For further details, see note set out under section 1522 of this title.

In text, "section 1302 of title 40" substituted for "section 321 of the Act of June 30, 1932 (47 Stat. 412)" on authority of Pub. L. 107–217, §5(c), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1303, the first section of which enacted Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works.

1950—Act Apr. 20, 1950, substituted "Housing and Home Finance Administrator" for "National Housing Administrator" wherever appearing.

1942—Act Apr. 10, 1942, inserted last sentence.

Act Jan. 21, 1942, amended second proviso.

Department of the Air Force inserted to conform to act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, §207(a), (f), 61 Stat. 502, 503, and Secretary of Defense Transfer Orders No. 14, eff. July 1, 1948, and No. 40 [App. B(129)], July 29, 1949. Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, §205(a), 61 Stat. 501. Sections 205(a) and 207(a), (f) of act July 26, 1947, were repealed by act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, §53, 70A Stat. 641. Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, §1, 70A Stat. 1, enacted "Title 10, Armed Forces", which in sections 3010 to 3013 and 8010 to 8013 continued Departments of the Army and Air Force under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Air Force, respectively.

For transfer of functions to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, see note set out under section 1522 of this title.

Functions of Federal Works Administrator relating to defense housing consolidated with other agencies into National Housing Agency during World War II by Ex. Ord. No. 9070.