West Virginia Code 16-15-3a – Regional housing authorities
(a) Any two or more cities or counties, or any combination thereof, may, by resolution of their separate governing bodies, establish a regional housing authority, by adopting a joint resolution declaring that there is a need for a regional housing authority to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing that is affordable to persons of low and moderate income residing in a multijurisdictional area and that this need would be more efficiently served by the establishment of a regional housing authority: Provided, That any authority in existence prior to the effective date of this article that is providing services outside of the city or county boundaries will continue to have jurisdiction in the areas where the authority is providing services on the effective date of this article.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-15-3a
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- board: means a board of health serving one or more counties or one or more municipalities or a combination thereof. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
- Commissioner: means the commissioner of the bureau, who may be designated as the state health officer. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
- Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
(b) Upon adoption of a resolution by two or more cities or counties, or a combination thereof, a regional housing authority shall be established and, except as otherwise provided in this article, the regional housing authority shall have perpetual existence, unless dissolved in accordance with law. Each regional housing authority established pursuant to this section, shall adopt a name for all legal and operating purposes.
(c) A certified copy of the resolutions establishing a regional housing authority shall serve as conclusive evidence that the authority has been properly established, is authorized to transact business, and exercise its powers under this article.
(d) After a regional housing authority has been established, any additional city, county or housing authority may elect to participate as a member of the regional housing authority, upon adoption of a resolution to that effect: Provided, That a majority of the existing commissioners of the regional housing authority and all participating political subdivisions, by action of their respective governing bodies, shall consent to the additional member or members.
(e) Any city or county may withdraw from participation in the regional housing authority by resolution of its governing body. Any withdrawal from participation shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) The regional housing authority has no bonds, notes, or other obligations outstanding, or adequate provision for payment of bonds, notes, or other obligations, by escrow or otherwise, has been made. Past performance without breach or default of an obligation secured only by one or more developments or the income thereof shall be deemed to be "adequate provision";
(2) The withdrawing city or county shall make adequate provision for the performance of all of its outstanding obligations and responsibilities as a participant in the regional housing authority;
(3) The withdrawing city or county shall give six months written notice to the regional housing authority and all other cities and counties participating therein; or
(4) The commissioner or commissioners appointed by the withdrawing city or county shall be deemed to have resigned as of the date upon which the withdrawal is effective. Vacancies on the board of commissioners created by withdrawal of a city or county shall be filled in such manner as the cities and counties remaining as participants shall agree.
Notwithstanding the withdrawal of any participating city or county, the legal title to and operating responsibility for any development located outside the area of operation of the regional housing authority remaining after such withdrawal has occurred shall continue to be vested in the regional housing authority, unless a different arrangement is made.
(f) If only one city or county remains as a participant in any regional housing authority, the regional housing authority shall become the housing authority of the remaining city or county at the discretion of its governing body, or the regional housing authority shall be dissolved and its assets and liabilities transferred to another existing housing authority or to a city or county or other public agency.