(315 ILCS 10/1) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.1) Sec. 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Blighted Vacant Areas Development Act of 1949. (Source: Laws 1949, p. 994.)

(315 ILCS 10/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.2) Sec. 2. Legislative finding and declaration. It is hereby found and declared: (a) That there exists within the populous areas in the State of Illinois an inadequate quantity of housing and that this inadequacy may not be regarded as transitory or self-curing; (b) Inadequacy of housing in such areas breeds disease, mental and physical; increases the mortality rate; contributes to marital instability, juvenile delinquency, and crime; requires increased expenditures by the State of Illinois and by local governments; necessitates higher tax levies; and intensifies demands for charity, both public and private; (c) Alleviation of the inadequacy of housing in such areas requires the use for housing purposes of presently undeveloped land in such populous areas, in tracts sufficiently large to meet modern and economical construction needs and patterns and the requirements of modern city planning; (d) A large proportion of presently undeveloped land in populous areas, suitable for housing purposes within the aforementioned requirements, lies within subdivisions in which there is prevalent (i) small lot size; (ii) diversity of ownership; (iii) unknown ownership and clouded titles; (iv) taxes and special assessment delinquencies usually exceeding the fair value of the land. These characteristics render such land unmarketable in fact for housing purposes or for any other economic purpose, so that such land, in its present state, cannot be developed by private enterprise. (e) These subdivisions are a continuing burden upon the tax paying properties of the community and they are permitted through neglect to produce weeds, noxious and otherwise, which become fire hazards during the autumn season, and are often the locations where offensive, immoral, and criminal acts are perpetrated. They have, therefore, become a blight upon the community. (f) That these conditions prevent development of desirable residential areas, resulting in added costs to the people of this State for creation of new public facilities and services. That lots within such subdivisions which have a fair cash market value in excess of the amount of the unpaid taxes and special assessments, are so burdened and encumbered by such conditions that the owners suffer from the blight which engulfs such areas and destroys the marketability of otherwise saleable land. (g) As a result of these degenerative conditions the properties within these blighted vacant areas are in a state of nonproductiveness and fail to produce their due and proper share of the taxes necessary to support local governments within whose boundaries they are situated notwithstanding the annual outlay of a substantial amount of public revenues in a largely ineffectual effort to collect such taxes. They are economic, social, and physical waste lands which produce a meager share of the public revenue raised to defray the cost of police and fire protection, the protection of public health and the promotion of general welfare. The drain upon the public revenues caused directly and indirectly by these blighted vacant areas, has impaired and will continue to impair the efficient, economical, and indispensable governmental functions of the State of Illinois, as well as of the counties and municipalities within the State of Illinois. (h) That these blighted vacant areas constitute physical, economic, and social nuisances, and should be eliminated in the best interest of the health, morals, safety, and general welfare of the people of the State of Illinois. Accordingly, such elimination and development as herein provided is hereby declared to be a public use. (Source: Laws 1949, p. 994.)

(315 ILCS 10/3) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.3) 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) "Private interest" and "developer" includes any person, firm, association, trust, or business corporation. (b) "Blighted vacant area" means any undeveloped contiguous urban area of not less than one acre where there exists diversity of ownership of lots and tax and special assessment delinquencies exceeding the fair cash market value of the land within such area. (c) "Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. (d) "Municipality" and "corporate authorities of the municipality" shall have the respective meanings assigned to these terms in Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code. "Corporate authorities of the county" shall refer to the governing body of the county as specified in Section 5-1004 of the Counties Code. (Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

(315 ILCS 10/4) Sec. 4. (Repealed). (Source: P.A. 81-1509. Repealed by P.A. 100-621, eff. 7-20-18.)

(315 ILCS 10/5) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.5) Sec. 5. Institution of eminent domain proceedings and vesting of title. When the Governor has adopted the recommendation of the Board, he shall thereupon execute a declaration taking the site on behalf of the State of Illinois and estimating the compensation for the site. He shall then request the Attorney General to institute eminent domain proceedings to take the site, furnishing him with the declaration of taking and the sum estimated as compensation for the site. It shall thereupon become the duty of the Attorney General, within 60 days thereafter, to institute eminent domain proceedings, file the declaration of taking, and deposit the estimated compensation with the Clerk of the Court. Title to the site shall thereupon vest in the State of Illinois. (Source: Laws 1949, p. 994.)

(315 ILCS 10/5.5) Sec. 5.5. 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 10/6) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.6) Sec. 6. Sale of land. After title to the site is vested in the State of Illinois, the State of Illinois, acting through the Governor and the Secretary of State, shall sign, seal, and deliver a deed conveying the site to the developer or his heirs, legatees, successors or assigns, in consideration of the offer of the developer, provided that: (a) The plans of development have been approved by the corporate authorities of the municipality in which the site is located, or by the corporate authorities of the county where the site is located in an unincorporated area. (b) The developer has satisfied the Department that the completion of development will be accomplished within a reasonable time after title to the site has been acquired from the State of Illinois by depositing bond with surety to be approved by the Department, or making a cash deposit, in either case in such amount as shall be deemed adequate by the Department. Such bonds shall designate the People of the State of Illinois as obligee thereunder and the developer as obligor thereon, and shall be conditioned upon completion of development by the developer in accordance with the plans of development, or such revisions therein as may be approved by the Department, within a period to be specified by the Department or any subsequent extension of this period by the Department. Such bond shall be in substantially the following form: "We, A.B., C.D., and E.F., of the County of .... and State of Illinois, as principals, and .... as surety, are obligated to the People of the State of Illinois in the penal sum of $...., lawful money of the United States, for the payment of which we and each of us obligate ourselves and our heirs, executors, administrators and assigns jointly. The condition of this bond is such that if the above stated A.B., C.D., and E.F., shall complete development of a site located at .... in accordance with plans of development submitted to the Department on (insert date), or in accordance with such revisions of such plans of development as may hereafter be approved by the Department, such completion of development to be within a period of .... years, or any subsequent extension of this period by the Department, then this obligation is void; otherwise it remains in full force and effect. Dated (insert date). Signature of A.B. ___________ Signature of C.D. ___________ Signature of E.F. ___________" The bond shall be signed by the principals and sureties and after approval by the Department shall be filed and recorded by the Department. (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

(315 ILCS 10/7) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 91.7) Sec. 7. Funds derived from sale. The purchase price for said land shall be deposited either in the general fund or in such special fund as may be segregated for the administration of this Act. (Source: Laws 1949, p. 994.)