Article 3. Nature, Jurisdiction, And General Powers Of Agencies of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 24. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 3.

The territorial jurisdiction of the agency of a county is the unincorporated territory in the county, and that of a city or city and county is the territory within its limits.

The powers of each agency are vested in the members in office.

When a decision, determination, or other action by the agency or legislative body is required by this part, neither the agency nor the legislative body shall delegate the obligation to decide, determine, or act to another entity unless a provision of this part specifically provides for that delegation.

Each redevelopment agency exercises governmental functions and has the powers prescribed in this part.

Each agency is performing a public function of the community.

An agency may:
  (a) Sue and be sued.
  (b) Have a seal.
  (c) Make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers.
  (d) Make, amend, and repeal bylaws and regulations not inconsistent with, and to carry into effect, the powers and purposes of this part.

An agency shall keep a record of the proceedings of its meetings and those records shall be open to examination by the public to the extent required by law.

(a) An agency may select, appoint, and employ such permanent and temporary officers, agents, counsel, and employees as it requires, and determine their qualifications, duties, benefits, and compensation, subject only to the conditions and restrictions imposed by the legislative body on the expenditure or encumbrance of the budgetary funds appropriated to the community redevelopment agency administrative fund. To the greatest extent feasible, the opportunities for training and employment arising from a redevelopment project planning and execution shall be given to lower income residents of the project area. The agency shall adopt personnel rules and regulations applicable to all employees. Such rules shall contain procedures affecting conflicts of interest, use of funds, personnel procedures on hiring and firing including removal of personnel for inefficiency, neglect of duties, or misconduct in office. Such rules and regulations shall be of public record.
  (b) An agency may contract with the Department of Housing and Community Development, or any other agency, for the furnishing by the department, or agency, of any necessary staff services associated with or required by redevelopment and which could be performed by the staff of an agency.

An agency may:
  (a) Obtain, hire, purchase, or rent office space, equipment, supplies, insurance, or services.
  (b) Authorize and pay the travel expenses of agency members, officers, agents, counsel, and employees on agency business.

For the purposes of the agency, it shall have access to the services and facilities of the planning commission, the city engineer, and other departments and offices of the community.

The grant of money appropriated by the legislative body of the community to the community redevelopment agency administrative fund is not to be construed as making the agency a department of the community or placing the officers, agents, counsel, and employees under civil service of the community.

(a) No agency or community officer or employee who in the course of his or her duties is required to participate in the formulation of, or to approve plans or policies for, the redevelopment of a project area shall acquire any interest in any property included within a project area within the community. If any such officer or employee owns or has any direct or indirect financial interest in property included within a project area, that officer or employee shall immediately make a written disclosure of that financial interest to the agency and the legislative body and the disclosure shall be entered on the minutes of the agency and the legislative body. Failure to make the disclosure required by this subdivision constitutes misconduct in office.
  (b) Subdivision (a) does not prohibit any agency or community officer or employee from acquiring an interest in property within the project area for the purpose of participating as an owner or reentering into business pursuant to this part if that officer or employee has owned a substantially equal interest as that being acquired for the three years immediately preceding the selection of the project area.
  (c) A rental agreement or lease of property which meets all of the following conditions is not an interest in property for purposes of subdivision (a):
  (1) The rental or lease agreement contains terms that are substantially equivalent to the terms of a rental or lease agreement available to any member of the general public for comparable property in the project area.
  (2) The rental or lease agreement includes a provision which prohibits any subletting, sublease, or other assignment at a rate in excess of the rate in the original rental or lease agreement.
  (3) The property which is subject to the rental or lease agreement is used in the pursuit of the principal business, occupation, or profession of the officer or employee.
  (4) The agency or community officer or employee who obtains the rental or lease agreement immediately makes a written disclosure of that fact to the agency and the legislative body.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, an officer, employee, consultant, or agent of the agency or community, for personal residential use, may purchase or lease property within a project area after the agency has certified that the improvements to be constructed or the work to be done on the property to be purchased or leased have been completed, or has certified that no improvements need to be constructed or that no work needs to be done on the property. Any such officer or employee who purchases or leases such property shall immediately make a written disclosure to the agency and the legislative body, which disclosure shall be entered on the minutes of the agency. Any such officer or employee shall thereafter be disqualified from voting on any matters directly affecting such a purchase, lease, or residency. Failure to so disclose constitutes misconduct in office.

An agency may:
  (a) From time to time prepare and carry out plans for the improvement, rehabilitation, and redevelopment of blighted areas.
  (b) Disseminate redevelopment information.
  (c) Prepare applications for various federal programs and grants relating to housing and community development and plan and carry out such programs within authority otherwise granted by this part, at the request of the legislative body.

The agency may accept financial assistance from public or private sources as authorized by Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 33600) or any other provision in this part.

The agency may accept any other assistance from the state or federal government or any public or private source for any redevelopment project within its area of operation or for the agency' s activities, powers, and duties.

Within the survey area or for purposes of redevelopment an agency may insure or provide for the insurance of any operations of the agency against risks or hazards.

Upon request from and at the expense of any public body, an agency may, outside any survey area, with the approval of the legislative body, provide (1) relocation assistance to persons displaced by governmental action, and (2) aid and assistance to property owners in connection with rehabilitation loans and grants.

An agency may finance the cost of premiums necessary for the provision of insurance during the construction or rehabilitation of properties that are administered by governmental entities or nonprofit organizations to provide housing for lower income households, as defined in Section 50079.5, including rental properties, emergency shelters, transitional housing, or special residential care facilities.