KRS 65.502: West End Opportunity Partnership -- Powers and duties -- Purposes.

(1) The West End Opportunity Partnership is hereby created and shall be a public

corporation and a public body corporate and politic, with the powers and duties in

its corporate name to:

(a) Have a corporate seal;

(b) Sue and be sued;

(c) Make or execute contr acts and other instruments necessary or convenient to

the exercise of its powers;

(d) Make, and from time to time amend and repeal, bylaws and procedures,

including a policy and procedure for replacing any institution that has a

permanent seat on the board , should an institution cease to exist or change

corporate form, to effect the purposes of KRS 65.500 to 65.506;

(e) Hire and maintain personnel as may be required;

(f) Borrow from and accept loans and grants from the federal, state, local

jurisdictions, o r any agency thereof, or from any sources, public or private,

and to pledge such security as may be required;

(g) Invest any funds held in reserves or any funds not required for immediate

disbursements, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally

invest funds subject to their control;

(h) Purchase its bonds at a price not more than the principal amount thereof and

accrued interest, and all bonds so purchased to be canceled;

(i) Plan initiatives within the development area;

(j) Invest in pro jects and neighborhood -based or neighborhood -directed

initiatives led by other organizations seeking to invest within the development

area;

(k) Make loans to businesses, individuals, or other organizations seeking to invest

within the development area;

(l) Receive proceeds from loans and grants;

(m) Purchase, acquire, own, hold, and dispose of all real and personal property

necessary for carrying out its corporate purposes;

(n) Invest in projects that create affordable housing within the development area;

(o) Communicate with the advisory council established in KRS 65.506 to seek

specific knowledge about the community;

(p) Adopt and comply with KRS Chapter 45A or develop a procurement code

designed to provide for the purchase of supplies, equipment, service s, and

construction items that provide the greatest long -term benefit to the

development area, the greatest integrity for the West End Opportunity

Partnership, and the best service and products for the public;

(q) Develop a program that will:

1. Raise awar eness of the income tax credit established under KRS

141.398;

2. Enable individuals in the development area to timely pay property taxes

by lending funds on a short -term basis until the refundable income tax

credit is returned to the individual; and

3. Assist individuals residing in the development area and qualifying for

the income tax credit by filling out returns or other paperwork required

to claim the tax credit;

(r) Create an account for the incremental tax increases collected from property

owners of residential property located within the development area;

(s) Create an account to make home improvements for existing property owners

of residential property located within the development area; and

(t) Exercise any power, duties, and requirements for car rying out its corporate

purposes under KRS 65.500 to 65.506.

(2) The purpose of the West End Opportunity Partnership shall be to:

(a) Manage and support the revitalization of and investment in the development

area, with a focus on projects supported by residents and businesses within the

development area;

(b) Encourage private investment in businesses and residential projects that will

have a significant impact within the development area;

(c) Ensure that all projects include the employment of area resident s, both in

short-term construction jobs and long-term employment in businesses locating

within the development area; and

(d) Ensure that all housing projects include the creation of housing that is deemed

affordable in accordance with federal guidelines for low-income families.

(3) The West End Opportunity Partnership shall comply with KRS 61.800 to 61.850

and 61.870 to 61.884.

(4) The board shall comply with KRS Chapter 65A and the West End Opportunity

Partnership shall be subject to audit under KRS 43.070.

(5) (a) The West End Opportunity Partnership is solely responsible for its operations.

No debt of the West End Opportunity Partnership is a debt of the

Commonwealth or consolidated local government. An action of the West End

Opportunity Partnership is no t an action of the Commonwealth or a

consolidated local government and shall not obligate the Commonwealth or

consolidated local government in any manner.

(b) Bonds issued by the board under the provisions of this section do not

constitute a debt of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof,

or a pledge of the faith and credit of the Commonwealth or of any such

political subdivision, but such bonds shall be payable solely from the funds,

and security, provided therefor under the provisions of KRS 65.500 to 65.506,

and all such bonds shall contain on the face thereof a statement to that effect.