AN
ACT Relating to public housing authorities in jurisdictions with populations
over four hundred thousand; amending RCW 35.82.040 and 35.82.050; and adding a
new section to chapter 35.82 RCW.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
35.82.040 and 1995 c 293 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
Except
as provided in section 2 of this act, when the governing body of a city
adopts a resolution declaring that there is a need for a housing authority, it
shall promptly notify the mayor of such adoption. Upon receiving such notice,
the mayor shall appoint five persons as commissioners of the authority created
for the city. When the governing body of a county adopts a resolution
declaring that there is a need for a housing authority, it shall appoint five
persons as commissioners of the authority created for the county. The
commissioners who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms of
one, two, three, four and five years, respectively, from the date of their
appointment, but thereafter commissioners shall be appointed for a term of
office of five years except that all vacancies shall be filled for the
unexpired term. No commissioner of an authority may be an officer or employee of
the city or county for which the authority is created, unless the commissioner
is an employee of a separately elected county official other than the county
governing body in a county with a population of less than one hundred
seventy-five thousand as of the 1990 federal census, and the total government
employment in that county exceeds forty percent of total employment. A
commissioner shall hold office until a successor has been appointed and has
qualified, unless sooner removed according to this chapter. A certificate of
the appointment or reappointment of any commissioner shall be filed with the
clerk and such certificate shall be conclusive evidence of the due and proper
appointment of such commissioner. A commissioner shall receive no compensation
for his or her services for the authority, in any capacity, but he or she shall
be entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred
in the discharge of his or her duties.
The
powers of each authority shall be vested in the commissioners thereof in office
from time to time. Except as provided in section 2 of this act, three
commissioners shall constitute a quorum of the authority for the purpose of
conducting its business and exercising its powers and for all other purposes.
Action may be taken by the authority upon a vote of a majority of the
commissioners present, unless in any case the bylaws of the authority shall
require a larger number. The mayor (or in the case of an authority for a
county, the governing body of the county) shall designate which of the
commissioners appointed shall be the first chair of the commission and he or
she shall serve in the capacity of chair until the expiration of his or her
term of office as commissioner. When the office of the chair of the authority
becomes vacant, the authority shall select a chair from among its
commissioners. An authority shall select from among its commissioners a
vice-chair, and it may employ a secretary (who shall be executive director),
technical experts and such other officers, agents and employees, permanent and
temporary, as it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties
and compensation. For such legal services as it may require, an authority may
call upon the chief law officer of the city or the county or may employ its own
counsel and legal staff. An authority may delegate to one or more of its
agents or employees such powers or duties as it may deem proper.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 35.82 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
After the effective date of this section, the governing body of a city with a
population of four hundred thousand or more, that has created a housing
authority under RCW 35.82.040, shall adopt a resolution to expand the number of
commissioners on the housing authority from five to seven. Upon receiving the
notice, the mayor, with approval of the city council, shall appoint additional
persons as commissioners of the authority created for the city.
(2)
In appointing commissioners, the mayor shall consider persons that represent
the community, provided that two commissioners shall consist of tenants that
reside in a housing project that is owned by the housing authority.
(3)
After the effective date of this section, all commissioners shall be appointed
to serve four-year terms, except that all vacancies shall be filled for the
remainder of the unexpired term. A commissioner of an authority may not be an
officer or employee of the city for which the authority is created. A
commissioner shall hold office until a successor has been appointed and has
qualified, unless sooner removed according to this chapter.
(4)
A commissioner may be reappointed only after review and approval by the city council.
(5)
A certificate of the appointment or reappointment of any commissioner shall be
filed with the clerk and the certificate is conclusive evidence of the due and
proper appointment of the commissioner.
(6)
A commissioner shall receive no compensation for his or her services for the
authority, in any capacity, but he or she is entitled to the necessary
expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of his or her
duties.
(7)
The powers of each authority vest in the commissioners of the authority in
office from time to time. Four commissioners shall constitute a quorum of the
authority for the purpose of conducting its business and exercising its powers
and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the authority upon a vote of
a majority of the commissioners present, unless in any case the bylaws of the
authority shall require a larger number.
(8)
The mayor, with consent of the city council, shall designate which of the
commissioners appointed shall be the first chair of the commission and he or
she shall serve in the capacity of chair until the expiration of his or her
term of office as commissioner. When the office of the chair of the authority
becomes vacant, the authority shall select a chair from among its commissioners.
An authority shall select from among its commissioners a vice-chair, and the
authority may employ a secretary, who shall be executive director, technical
experts and such other officers, agents, and employees, permanent and
temporary, as the authority requires, and shall determine their qualifications,
duties, and compensation.
(9)
For such legal services as it may require, an authority may call upon the chief
law officer of the city or may employ its own counsel and legal staff. An
authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such powers or
duties as it may deem proper.
Sec.
3. RCW
35.82.050 and 1965 c 7 s 35.82.050 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
No commissioner ((or)), employee ((of an authority)),
or appointee to any decision-making body for the housing authority shall ((acquire
any interest direct or indirect in any housing project or in any property
included or planned to be included in any project, nor shall he have any
interest direct or indirect in any contract or proposed contract for materials
or services to be furnished or used in connection with any housing project))
own or hold an interest in any contract or property or engage in any
business, transaction, or professional or personal activity, that would:
(a)
Be, or appear to be, in conflict with the commissioner's, employee's, or
appointee's official duties to any decision-making body for the housing
authority duties relating to the housing authority served by or subject to the
authority of such commissioner, employee, or appointee to any decision-making
body for the housing authority;
(b)
Secure, or appear to secure, unwarranted privileges or advantages for such
commissioner, employee, or appointee to any decision-making body for the
housing authority, or others; or
(c)
Prejudice, or appear to prejudice, such commissioner's, employee's, or
appointee's to any decision-making body for the housing authority independence
of judgment in exercise of his or her official duties relating to the housing
authority served by or subject to the authority of the commissioner, employee,
or appointee to any decision-making body for the housing authority.
(2)
No commissioner, employee, or appointee to any decision-making body for the housing
authority shall act in an official capacity in any manner in which such
commissioner, employee, or appointee to any decision-making body of the housing
authority has a direct or indirect financial or personal involvement.
(3)
No commissioner, employee, or appointee to any decision-making body for the
housing authority shall use his or her public office or employment to secure
financial gain to such commissioner, employee, or appointee to any
decision-making body for the housing authority.
(4)
If any commissioner or employee of an authority or any appointee to any
decision-making body for the housing authority owns or controls an interest
direct or indirect in any property included or planned to be included in any
housing project, he immediately shall disclose the same in writing to the
authority and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the
authority. Failure ((so)) to disclose such interest shall constitute
misconduct in office. Upon such disclosure such commissioner ((or)),
employee, or appointee to any decision-making body for the housing authority
shall not participate in any action by the authority affecting such property.
(5)
No provision of this section shall preclude a tenant of the public housing
authority from serving as a commissioner, employee, or appointee to any
decision-making body of the housing authority. No provision of this section
shall preclude a tenant of the public housing authority who is serving as a
commissioner, employee, or appointee to any decision-making body of the housing
authority from voting on any issue or decision, or participating in any action
by the authority, unless a conflict of interest, as set forth in subsections
(1) through (4) of this section, exists as to that particular tenant and the particular
property or interest at issue before, or subject to action by the housing
authority.
