40:37A-131. Powers of authority

In order to carry out the purposes and provisions of this act, the authority in addition to any powers granted to it elsewhere in this act or the "county improvement authorities law," P.L.1960, c. 183 (C. 40:37A-44 et seq.), shall have the following powers:

a. To conduct examinations and hearings and to hear testimony and take proof, under oath or affirmation, at public or private hearings, on any matter material for its information and necessary to carry out the provisions of this act;

b. To issue subpenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers pertinent to any hearing before such authority or before one or more of the members of the authority appointed by it to conduct such hearing;

c. To apply to any court, having territorial jurisdiction of the offense, to have punished for contempt any witness who refuses to obey a subpena, or who refuses to be sworn or affirmed to testify, or who is guilty of any contempt after summons to appear;

d. To acquire by purchase, gift, foreclosure or condemnation any real or personal property, or any interest therein, to enter into any lease of property and to hold, sell, assign, lease, encumber, mortgage or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property, or any interest therein, or mortgage lien interest owned by it or under its control, custody or in its possession and release or relinquish any right, title, claim, lien, interest, easement or demand however acquired, including any equity or right of redemption, in property foreclosed by it and to do any of the foregoing by public or private sale, with or without public bidding, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law;

e. To adopt such rules and regulations as shall be expressly authorized by this act and such additional rules and regulations as shall be necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this act;

f. To borrow money or secure credit on a temporary, short-term, interim or on a long-term basis, and to issue negotiable bonds, bond anticipation notes or other notes or obligations and to provide for and secure the payment thereof and to provide for the rights of the holders thereof;

g. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this act, including contracts or agreements with qualified financial institutions for the servicing and processing of mortgage loans pursuant to this act;

h. To do and perform any acts and things authorized by this act under, through, or by means of its officers, agents or employees or by contract with any person, firm or corporation;

i. To finance by mortgage loans or otherwise the construction or rehabilitation of housing projects and to make temporary loans or advances in anticipation of permanent loans, and to make funds for mortgage and other loans available to appropriate and qualified entities as may be designated by the authority;

j. To receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of money, property, labor or other things of value, to be held, used and applied to carry out the purposes of this act, subject to such conditions upon which such grants and contributions may be made, including, but not limited to, gifts or grants from any department or agency of the United States or this State for payment of rent supplements or rental assistance to eligible families or for the payment in whole or in part of the interest expense for a housing project or for any other purpose consistent with this act;

k. To enter into agreements to pay annual sums in lieu of taxes to any political subdivision of the State with respect to any real property owned or operated directly by the authority for purposes of this act;

l . To procure insurance against any loss in connection with its property, operations and assets (including mortgages and loans) in such amounts and from such insurers as it deems desirable;

m. To the extent permitted under its contract with the holders of bonds, bond anticipation notes and other notes or obligations of the authority, to consent to any modification with respect to rate of interest, time and payment of any installment of principal or interest, security or any other term of any mortgage, mortgage loan, mortgage loan commitment, contract or agreement of any kind to which the authority is a party;

n. To the extent permitted under its contract with the holders of bonds, bond anticipation notes and other notes or obligations, to enter into contracts with any qualified housing sponsor containing provisions enabling the said qualified housing sponsor to reduce the rental or carrying charges to persons unable to pay the regular schedule of charges where by reason of other income or payment from the authority, any department or agency of the United States or this State, such reductions can be made without jeopardizing the economic stability of the housing project;

o . To establish and revise from time to time and charge and collect such fees and charges including, but not limited to, payment for all costs of financing by the authority, services, mortgage insurance premiums, reserves against losses, reimbursement for advances made to the authority, as the authority shall determine are reasonable to enable the authority, to the extent feasible, to be self-sustaining;

p. Subject to any agreement with holders of bonds, bond anticipation notes or other notes or obligations, to invest and reinvest any moneys of the authority not required for immediate use or disbursement, including proceeds from the sale of any bonds, bond anticipation notes or other notes or obligations and any moneys held in the housing finance funds, reserve funds or sinking funds, in such obligations, securities and other investments as the authority shall deem prudent;

q. Subject to any agreement with the holders of bonds, bond anticipation notes or other notes or obligations, to purchase bonds, bond anticipation notes or other notes or obligations of the authority out of any funds or money of the authority available therefor, and to hold, cancel to resell such bonds, bond anticipation notes or other notes or obligations;

r. To provide, contract or arrange for, where by reason of the financing arrangement, review of the application and proposed construction of a project is required by or in behalf of any department or agency of the United States, consolidated processing of any such application or supervision to avoid duplication thereof by either undertaking the processing in whole or in part for any such department or agency or, in the alternative, delegating the processing in whole or in part to any such department or agency;

s. To make mortgage loans and to participate with any department or agency of the United States, this State, a municipality, or any banking institution, foundation, labor union, insurance company, trustee or fiduciary in a loan to a qualified housing sponsor secured by a single participating mortgage or by separate mortgages, the interest of each having equal priority as to lien in proportion to the amount of the loan so secured, but need not be equal as to interest rate, time or rate of amortization or otherwise and to undertake commitments to make such loans;

t. To sell, at public or private sale, with or without bidding, any mortgage or other obligation securing a mortgage loan made by the authority;

u. To make commitments to purchase, and to purchase, service and sell, mortgages insured by any department or agency of the United States, and to make loans directly upon the security of any such mortgage;

v. To enter into partnerships, limited partnerships, joint ventures or other associations as a general partner, limited partner or participant therein with qualified housing sponsors to carry out the purposes of the authority;

w. To provide qualified housing sponsors and other individuals and organizations with such advisory consultation, training and educational services as will increase the availability and supply of housing and increase housing opportunities for low and moderate income families, including but not limited to assistance in community development and organization, home management and advisory services for the residents of the housing projects, and to encourage community organizations to assist in developing such projects;

x. To administer funds established for the provision of loans and grants, including but not limited to revolving loan funds established pursuant to P.L.1947, c. 71 (C. 40:48-8.15 et seq.), to qualified housing sponsors and other individuals and organizations, for the purpose of increasing the availability and supply of housing for low and moderate income families;

y. To encourage research in, and demonstration projects to develop, new and better techniques and methods for increasing the supply of housing for moderate income families and to engage in such research and demonstration projects and to receive and accept contributions, grants or aid, from any source, public or private, including, but not limited to the United States and this State, for carrying out this purpose;

z. To provide to qualified housing sponsors through mortgage loans or otherwise, financing or refinancing of fully completed, as well as partially completed, projects which may or may not be occupied, provided that said projects meet all the requirements of the act; and

aa. To do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise the powers given and granted in the act.

L.1979, c. 275, s. 26, eff. Jan. 3, 1980. Amended by L.1981, c. 460, s. 3, eff. Jan. 8, 1982; L.1982, c. 113, s. 18, eff. Aug. 14, 1982.