The authority shall have the following powers:

(1) To have succession by its corporate name until the principal of and interest on the bonds shall have been fully paid and until it shall have been dissolved as provided in this chapter;

(2) To sue and be sued and to prosecute and defend in any court having jurisdiction of the subject matter and of the parties thereto;

(3) To adopt and use a corporate seal and to alter the seal at pleasure;

(4) To establish a fiscal year;

(5) To maintain an office in the City of Montgomery;

(6) To adopt, and from time to time amend and repeal, bylaws and rules and regulations, not inconsistent with this chapter, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the authority in the conduct of its business;

(7) To purchase mortgage loans from mortgage lenders;

(8) To contract with mortgage lenders for the origination of, or the servicing, of mortgage loans to be made by such mortgage lenders and the servicing of the mortgages securing such mortgage loans;

(9) To make loans to mortgage lenders, provided that (i) the proceeds of such loans shall be required to be used by such mortgage lenders for the making of mortgage loans, and (ii) the mortgages in connection with the mortgage loans so made, together with any additional security required by the authority, shall be mortgaged, pledged, assigned or otherwise provided as security for such loans to mortgage lenders;

(10) To exercise any and all rights accorded to the owner and holder of a mortgage under and in accordance with the terms of said instruments and the applicable laws of the state with respect to the mortgaged property, directly or through mortgage lenders or others acting on behalf of the authority or on behalf of the holders of its bonds, including, but without limitation, the power to foreclose, to sell the equity of redemption, to purchase the equity of redemption and otherwise to sell and dispose of the mortgaged property, all as shall seem in the best interests of the authority and the holders of its bonds;

(11) To sell and issue bonds in order to provide funds for any corporate function, use or purpose;

(12) To mortgage, pledge, assign or grant security interests in any or all of its mortgage loans, mortgages and its interests created thereby in the underlying real and personal properties covered by such mortgages as security for the payment of the principal of, and interest on, any bonds issued by the authority, or as security for any agreements made in connection therewith, whether then owned or thereafter acquired, and to pledge the revenues from which said bonds are payable as security for the payment of the principal of, and interest on, said bonds and any agreements made in connection therewith;

(13) To establish such reserves from the proceeds of any issue of bonds or from revenues of the authority as the board of directors shall determine to be necessary and desirable in connection with the payment and retirement of the bonds of the authority or in connection with any other purpose, power or function of the authority;

(14) To execute and deliver, in accordance with the provisions of this section and of Section 24-1A-6, mortgages and deeds of trust and trust indentures, or either;

(15) To appoint, employ, contract with and provide for the compensation of, such employees, attorneys, fiscal advisers and agents as the business of the authority may require;

(16) To provide for such insurance as the board of directors may deem advisable, including, but without limitation, casualty insurance, mortgage payment guarantee insurance and bond insurance;

(17) To invest in authorized investments any funds of the authority that the board of directors may determine are not presently needed for other uses, purposes or functions of the authority;

(18) To enter into a management agreement or agreements with any person, firm or corporation for the performance by said person, firm or corporation for the authority of any of its functions or powers upon such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreeable;

(19) To sell, exchange and convey any or all of its properties whenever its board of directors shall find any such action to be in furtherance of the purposes for which the authority was organized;

(20) To make, enter into and execute such contracts, agreements, leases and other instruments and to take such other actions as may be necessary or desirable to accomplish any purpose for which the authority is organized or to exercise any power granted by this chapter;

(21) To issue mortgage credit certificates to those persons and families who have received financing from any mortgage lender for the purpose of acquiring, rehabilitating, or improving single-family residential housing in Alabama. The authority shall have the power and the authority to take all steps, make all conditions, and do all things necessary in order to issue the certificates and implement and enforce the mortgage credit certificate program within the parameters and following the procedures specified by federal law and federal regulations governing the mortgage credit certificate program, notwithstanding any contrary provision in this chapter. The authority shall be the sole and exclusive issuer of mortgage credit certificates in and for the state;

(22) To administer other federal programs, present or future, which assist in the provision and financing of housing, including, but not limited to, allocation and issuance of low income housing tax credits under federal law and regulations including Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and to take all other actions necessary or convenient to the implementation and administration of such programs;

(23) To acquire, hold and dispose of real and personal property;

(24) To contract with such entities as the authority shall deem reasonable and appropriate for the acquisition, servicing, and disposition of servicing qualified mortgage loans made or to be made by other entities; and

(25) To exercise any and all rights accorded to the owner and holder of a servicing qualified mortgage under and in accordance with the terms of such instruments and the applicable laws with respect to the servicing qualified mortgaged property, directly or through others acting on behalf of the authority or the owners of the servicing qualified mortgage loans, as the case may be, including, but without limitation, the power to foreclose, to sell the equity of redemption, to purchase the equity of redemption, and otherwise to sell and dispose of servicing qualified mortgaged property, all as the authority shall deem reasonable and appropriate in light of contractual or legal requirements.