Pennsylvania Act 1938-11 (session 1) — SLUM CLEARANCE, ACQUISITION OF LAND

Act text

SLUM CLEARANCE, ACQUISITION OF LAND
         Act of Sep. 14, 1938, Special Session 1, P.L. 32, No. 11     Cl. 62
                      Special Session No. 1 of 1938
                               No. 1938-11

                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing the Commonwealth or any of its agencies or
        instrumentalities of government, including the General State
        Authority, to contract with, and to lease or acquire from any
        housing authority, any area acquired or about to be acquired
        by such housing authority for slum clearance purposes.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  The following words, as used in this act, shall
     have the following meanings:
        "Housing Authority." Any housing authority created by the
     act, approved the twenty-eighth day of May, one thousand nine
     hundred and thirty-seven (Pamphlet Laws, nine hundred fifty-
     five), known as the "Housing Authorities Law."
        "Project." Any work or undertaking to demolish, clear or
     remove buildings from any slum area.
        "Slum." Any area in which there is a predominance of
     structures which, by reason of dilapidation, overcrowding,
     faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation, light or
     sanitary facilities, or any combination of these factors, are
     detrimental to safety, health and morals.
        Section 2.  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by the
     Department of Property and Supplies, with the approval of the
     Governor, and any agency of the Commonwealth or instrumentality
     of government, including the General State Authority, shall have
     the power and authority to enter into contracts with any housing
     authority, either before said housing authority undertakes a
     project whereby it shall demolish, clear or remove buildings
     from a slum area, or after it has undertaken and completed such
     slum clearance project, to lease from such housing authority as
     lessee for a term not to exceed ninety-nine years, or to acquire
     from it as purchaser, either the fee, or such right, title,
     interest or easement as it may deem necessary, in and to the
     slum area or area included in said project, or any part thereof,
     when or as cleared, together with any improvements, buildings or
     structures therein or thereon, owned or about to be acquired by
     such housing authority, needed by or convenient to the
     Commonwealth, or any agency thereof, or instrumentality of
     government, including the General State Authority, for any
     public purpose or purposes, including the creation of public
     parks and the erection on the lands contracted for of buildings,
     improvements and structures deemed necessary for the use of the
     Commonwealth or needed or convenient for the corporate purposes
     of such agency or instrumentality of government.
        Section 3.  No such contract, whereby the Commonwealth or any
     agency thereof or instrumentality of government shall undertake
     to purchase or acquire any slum area entered into before the
     completion of the clearance of such slum, shall be valid unless
     it shall impose a duty upon the housing authority to demolish,
     clear or remove all such buildings from the slum area as shall
     be necessary to change the character of said area and remove the
     slums therefrom as promptly as circumstances shall permit.
        Section 4.  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by the
     Department of Property and Supplies, with the approval of the
     Governor, and any agency of the Commonwealth or instrumentality
     of government, including the General State Authority, shall have
     the power and authority, after a housing authority has
     undertaken and completed a project whereby it shall have
     demolished, cleared or removed buildings from a slum area, to
     lease from such housing authority as lessee for a term not to
     exceed ninety-nine years, or acquire from it as purchaser,
     either the fee, or such right, title, interest or easement as it
     may deem necessary, in and to the slum area, or any part
     thereof, together with any improvements, buildings or structures
     therein or thereon, owned by such housing authority, needed by
     or convenient to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof, or
     instrumentality of government, including the General State
     Authority, for any public purpose or purposes, including the
     creation of public parks and the erection on the lands so
     acquired of buildings, improvements and structures deemed
     necessary for the use of the Commonwealth, or needed or
     convenient for the corporate purposes of such agency or
     instrumentality of government.
        Section 5.  The powers, rights and duties herein conferred or
     imposed upon the General State Authority are in furtherance of,
     and in addition to, those provided for in the act, approved the
     twenty-eighth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-
     five (Pamphlet Laws, four hundred fifty-two), known as the
     "General State Authority Act of one thousand nine hundred and
     thirty-five," and its amendments.