N.Y. General Municipal Law § 554: Powers of an agency

§ 554. Powers of an agency. Subject to the provisions of article

fifteen of this chapter, an agency is authorized to plan and undertake

one or more urban renewal projects and shall have the powers necessary

or convenient to carry out and effectuate such project or projects and

the purposes and provisions of this article and article fifteen of this

chapter, including but not limited to the following powers: (1) to sue

and be sued; (2) to have a seal and alter the same at pleasure; (3) to

have perpetual succession; (4) to make and execute contracts and all

other instruments necessary or convenient for the exercise of its powers

and functions; (5) to make and alter by-laws for its organization and

internal management; (6) to acquire or contract to acquire from any

person, firm, corporation or government, by subsidy, contribution, gift,

grant, bequest, devise, purchase, pursuant to the provisions of the

eminent domain procedure law, or otherwise, real or personal property or

any interest therein, including but not limited to air rights, and

easements or other rights of user, necessary for the use and development

of such air rights, to be developed as air rights sites for the

elimination of the blighting influences over an area or areas consisting

principally of land in streets, alleys, highways, and other public

rights of way, railway or subway tracks, bridge or tunnel approaches or

entrances, or other similar facilities which have a blighting influence

on the surrounding area and over which air rights sites are to be

developed for the elimination of such blighting influences, provided,

however, that the acquisition of any air rights over railroad tracks,

rights-of-way or facilities and easements or other rights of user

necessary for the use and development of such air rights are to be

subject to the provisions of section fifty-one-a of the railroad law;

(7) to appoint officers, agents and employees, prescribe their duties,

fix their compensation and delegate to one or more of such officers,

agents or employees such powers or duties as it may deem proper; (8)

with the consent of the municipality to use agents, employees, and

facilities of the municipality, paying to the municipality its agreed

proportion of the compensation or costs; (9) to insure or provide for

the insurance of its property or operations as required by law and also

against such other risks as it may deem advisable; (10) to invest any

moneys held in reserve or sinking funds or any moneys not required for

immediate use or disbursement at the discretion of the agency in

obligations of the state or the United States government or obligations

of which the principal and interest are guaranteed by the state or the

United States government; (11) to cooperate with the federal government

and apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, subsidies,

contributions and any other form of financial assistance from the

federal government, or from the state, county, municipality or other

public body or from any sources public or private, for the purposes of

this article and article fifteen of this chapter; and to give such

security as may be required and to enter into and carry out contracts or

agreements in connection therewith; provided, however, that any

application for a loan, subsidy or grant to the federal government or

the state shall be subject to the prior approval of the governing body;

and to include in any contract for financial assistance with the federal

government for or with respect to an urban renewal project, or with

respect to any other program authorized under the federal housing act of

nineteen hundred forty-nine, and all other federal laws amendatory and

supplemental thereto, such conditions imposed pursuant to federal laws

as the agency may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not

inconsistent with the purposes of this article or article fifteen of

this chapter. Such conditions may include but shall not be limited to

(a) provisions requiring payments of not less than certain minimum

salaries and wages to architects, engineers, technicians, laborers,

mechanics and other personnel; (b) provisions prohibiting rebates and

kickbacks; and (c) provisions requiring contractors and subcontractors

to furnish reports and other data to the secretary of labor; (d)

provisions requiring payment of actual reasonable moving and related

expenses as well as supplemental and additional payments, to

individuals, families, business concerns or non-profit organizations due

to displacement, so that disproportionate injuries are not suffered as a

result of such program, as may be required by and pursuant to a federal

financial assistance contract. (12) to apply for and accept the local

grants-in-aid required under such federal laws, in the form of

appropriations, cash, municipal services and facilities, or any other

form; (13) to borrow money and issue bonds or other obligations; (14) to

provide for demolition and clearance of property, improvement of

property, or development and use of air rights and concomitant easements

or other rights of user necessary for the use and development of such

air rights and air rights sites, including the remedying of unsuitable

topographical, subsoil or other physical conditions which impede

development within the urban renewal area, and construction of

foundations and platforms as well as other necessary sitework, by the

agency or by the municipality or by the persons, firm or corporation to

whom such property, air rights and easements or air rights site, is sold

or leased, provided, however, that any such work upon or affecting

railroad property, right-of-way or facilities shall be subject to the

approval of and joint supervision by the railroad company or companies

affected. No work upon or affecting railroad property, right-of-way or

facilities shall be progressed without the approval of the railroad

company or companies, and in connection with all such projects upon or

affecting railroad property, right-of-way or facilities appropriate

standards for safety of operations, ventilation and lighting shall be

subject to the approval of the railroad company or companies affected;

(15) to develop, test and report methods and techniques and carry out

demonstration and other activities in relation to or in connection with

one or more programs of urban renewal or other programs relating to the

arrest and prevention of conditions of deterioration or blight. In

carrying out such demonstration and other activities an agency may

itself reconstruct, repair, rehabilitate or otherwise improve such real

property or may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of real property, for

the effectuation of such activities or purposes by the purchaser or

lessee thereof, pursuant to the provisions of section five hundred

fifty-six of this article; (16) to prepare or cause to be prepared a

general neighborhood renewal plan for an area consisting of an urban

renewal area or areas, together with any adjoining areas having

specially related problems, and which is of such size that urban renewal

activities may have to be initiated in stages; (17) to prepare or cause

to be prepared a community-wide plan or program for urban renewal which

shall conform to the comprehensive community plan for the development of

the municipality as a whole; (18) to conduct examinations and

investigations, hear testimony and take proof, under oath at public or

private hearings on any material matters. (19) to convey, assign, grant

or otherwise transfer all of its right, title and interest in any urban

renewal program, or part thereof, or any right, title or interest in or

to any real or personal property, contract, claim or other interest

acquired or held by it in connection with such program, or part thereof,

with or without consideration, to the municipality, subject to the prior

approval of the governing body, upon such terms and conditions as may be

reasonable and appropriate to effectuate such transfer not inconsistent

with the purposes of this article or article fifteen of this chapter or

any contract for financial assistance from the federal government, or

from the state or other public body, for any of the purposes of such

articles or either of them.