Within the plan area or for purposes of revitalization an authority may:

(a) Purchase, lease, obtain option upon, acquire by gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, any real or personal property, any interest in property, and any improvements on it, including repurchase of developed property previously owned by the authority. An authority shall obtain an appraisal from a qualified independent appraiser to determine the fair market value of property before the authority acquires or purchases real property.

(b) Accept, at the request of the legislative body of the community, a conveyance of real property (located either within or outside the plan area) owned by a public entity and declared surplus by the public entity, or owned by a private entity. The authority may dispose of that property to private persons or to public or private entities, by sale or long-term lease for development. All or any part of the funds derived from the sale or lease of that property may, at the discretion of the legislative body of the community, be paid to the community, or to the public entity from which any of that property was acquired.

(c) Sell, lease, grant, or donate real property owned or acquired by the authority in a plan area to a housing authority or to any public agency for public housing projects.

(d) Offer for resale property acquired by an authority for rehabilitation and resale within one year after completion of rehabilitation. Properties held by the authority in excess of a one-year period shall be listed in the authority’s annual report with information conveying the reasons that property remains unsold and indicating plans for its disposition.

(e) Acquire real property by eminent domain, provided that authority is exercised within 12 years from the adoption of the plan.

(1) Every plan adopted by an authority which contemplates property owner participation in the revitalization of the plan area shall contain alternative provisions for revitalization of the property if the owners fail to participate in the revitalization as agreed. Prior to the adoption of a plan, each property owner whose property would be subject to acquisition by purchase or condemnation under the plan shall be sent a statement in nontechnical language and in a clear and coherent manner using words with common and everyday meaning to that effect attached to the notice of the hearing as required by subdivision (b) of Section 62004. Alternatively, a list or map of all properties which would be subject to acquisition by purchase or condemnation under the plan may be mailed to affected property owners with the notices of hearing pursuant to Section 62004.

(2) Without the consent of an owner, an authority shall not acquire any real property on which an existing building is to be continued on its present site and in its present form and use unless that building requires structural alteration, improvement, modernization, or rehabilitation, or the site or lot on which the building is situated requires modification in size, shape, or use, or it is necessary to impose upon that property any of the standards, restrictions, and controls of the plan and the owner fails or refuses to agree to participate in the plan.

(3) Property already devoted to a public use may be acquired by the agency through eminent domain, but property of a public body shall not be acquired without its consent.

(4) An authority shall not acquire from any of its members or officers any property or interest in property except through eminent domain proceedings.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 319, Sec. 2. (AB 2) Effective January 1, 2016.)