Any housing authority may undertake the development and administration of projects to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities who, as determined by the housing authority, would not otherwise be able to secure safe and sanitary dwellings within the vicinity thereof. In the ownership, development, or administration of such projects, a housing authority has all the rights, powers, privileges, and immunities that such authority has under any provisions of law relating to the ownership, development, or administration of slum clearance and housing projects for persons of low income. The authority shall exercise such rights, powers, and privileges as though all the provisions of law applicable to slum clearance and housing projects for persons of low income were applicable to projects developed or administered to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities as provided in this section. Housing projects developed or administered hereunder constitute housing projects under the provisions of this chapter. When a housing authority finds that within its area of operation, or any part thereof, there is an acute shortage of safe and sanitary dwellings which impedes the national defense program or the general welfare of veterans and that necessary and safe and sanitary dwellings would not otherwise be provided when needed for such persons, any project developed or administered by such housing authority or by any housing authority cooperating with such authority pursuant to this section, with the financial aid of the federal government or     as agent for the federal government as hereinafter provided, is not subject to the limitations provided in sections 23-11-13 and 23-11-14. Any such finding must be conclusive in any suit, action, or other proceeding. A housing authority may make payments in such amounts as it finds necessary or desirable for any services, facilities, works, privileges, or improvements furnished for or in connection with any such projects. After the national defense period any such projects owned and administered by a housing authority must be administered in accordance with the preceding sections of this chapter except veterans are not subject to the limitations in section 23-11-14.