The Mayor of the District of Columbia may, in his discretion and when he deems such action to be in the public interest, effect settlement with owners of real estate authorized to be acquired by purchase or condemnation for District of Columbia purposes, through such title company or companies in the District of Columbia as may be designated by the Mayor, and to pay from appropriations available for the acquisition of such real estate reasonable fees to cover the cost of the services rendered by such title company or companies.

(Dec. 20, 1944, 58 Stat. 822, ch. 611, § 5.)

1981 Ed., § 1-342.

1973 Ed., § 1-248.

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.