§122A-5. General powers

The Agency shall have all of the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the provisions of this Chapter, including the power:

(1)        To participate in any federally assisted lease program for housing for persons of lower income under any federal legislation, including, without limitation, section 8 of the National Housing Act; provided, however, that such participation may take place only upon the request and approval of the governing body of the county, city or town in which any such project is to be located;

(2)        To make or participate in the making of mortgage loans to sponsors of residential housing; provided, however, that such loans shall be made only upon the determination by the Agency that mortgage loans are not otherwise available wholly or in part from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions;

(3)        To purchase or participate in the purchase and enter into commitments by itself or together with others for

a.         The purchase of mortgage loans made by mortgage lenders to sponsors of residential housing or to persons of lower income for residential housing where the Agency has given its approval prior to the initial making of the mortgage loan; provided, however, that any such purchase shall be made only upon the determination by the Agency that mortgage loans were, at the time the approval was given, not otherwise available, wholly or in part, from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions, or

b.         The purchase of mortgage loans made by mortgage lenders without such prior approval to sponsors of housing for persons and families of any income or to persons of any income for housing upon such terms and conditions requiring the proceeds thereof to be used by such mortgage lenders for the making of new mortgage loans to sponsors of residential housing or to persons of lower income for residential housing as the Agency may prescribe by its rules and regulations; provided, however, that (i) any such purchase of existing mortgage loans shall be made only upon the determination by the Agency that such new mortgage loans are not otherwise available from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions, and (ii) the Agency shall purchase mortgage loans made to sponsors of housing for persons and families not of lower income or to persons not of lower income for housing only upon the determination by the Agency that mortgage loans made to sponsors of residential housing or to persons of lower income for residential housing are not available for purchase by the Agency upon reasonable terms and conditions;

(4)        Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1296, s. 24;

(4a)      To make loans to mortgage lenders on terms and conditions requiring the proceeds thereof to be used by such mortgage lenders to originate new mortgage loans to (i) sponsors of residential housing for persons and families of lower income and persons and families of moderate income and (ii) persons and families of lower income and persons and families of moderate income for residential housing. The loans to mortgage lenders and the loans to be made by such mortgage lenders shall be made on such applicable terms and conditions as are set forth in rules and regulations of the Agency; Provided, however, that loans shall be made by such mortgage lenders only upon the determination by the Agency that such financing is not otherwise available, wholly or in part, from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions;

(5)        To collect and pay reasonable fees and charges in connection with making, purchasing and servicing its loans, notes, bonds, commitments and other evidences of indebtedness;

(6)        To acquire on a temporary basis real property, or an interest therein, in its own name, by purchase, transfer or foreclosure, where such acquisition is necessary or appropriate to protect any loan in which the Agency has an interest and to sell, transfer and convey any such property to a buyer and, in the event such sale, transfer or conveyance cannot be effected with reasonable promptness or at a reasonable price, to rent or lease such property to a tenant pending such sale, transfer or conveyance;

(7)        To sell, at public or private sale, all or any part of any mortgage or other instrument or document securing a loan of any type permitted by this Chapter;

(8)        To procure insurance against any loss in connection with its operations in such amounts, and from such insurers, as it may deem necessary or desirable;

(9)        To consent, whenever it deems it necessary or desirable in the fulfillment of its corporate purposes, to the modification of the rate of interest, time of payment of any installment of principal or interest, or any other terms, of any mortgage loan, mortgage loan commitment, contract or agreement of any kind to which the Agency is a party;

(10)      To borrow money as herein provided to carry out and effectuate its corporate purposes and to issue its obligation as evidence of any such borrowing;

(11)      To include in any borrowing such amounts as may be deemed necessary by the Agency to pay financing charges, interest on the obligations for a period not exceeding two years from their date, consultant, advisory and legal fees and such other expenses as are necessary or incident to such borrowing;

(12)      To make and publish rules and regulations respecting its lending programs and such other rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate its corporate purposes;

(13)      To provide technical and advisory services to sponsors, builders and developers of residential housing and to residents thereof;

(14)      To promote research and development in scientific methods of constructing low-cost residential housing of high durability;

(15)      To service or contract for the servicing of mortgage loans and to make and execute agreements, contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers and functions of the Agency under this Chapter, including contracts with any person, firm, corporation, governmental agency or other entity, and each and any North Carolina governmental agency is hereby authorized to enter into contracts and otherwise cooperate with the Agency to facilitate the purposes of this Chapter;

(16)      To receive, administer and comply with the conditions and requirements respecting any appropriation or any gift, grant or donation of any property or money, including the proceeds of general obligation bonds of the State;

(17)      To sue and be sued in its own name, plead and be impleaded;

(18)      To establish and maintain an office for the transaction of its business in the City of Raleigh and at such place or places as the board of directors deems advisable or necessary in carrying out the purposes of this Chapter;

(19)      To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(20)      To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business and to prescribe rules, regulations and policies in connection with the performance of its functions and duties;

(21)      To employ fiscal consultants, engineers, attorneys, real estate counselors, appraisers and such other consultants and employees as may be required in the judgment of the Agency and to fix and pay their compensation from funds available to the Agency therefor;

(22)      To purchase or to participate in the purchase and enter into commitments by itself or together with others for the purchase of federally insured securities; provided, however, that the Agency shall first determine that the proceeds of such securities will be utilized for the purpose of making new mortgage loans to sponsors of residential housing or to persons of lower income for residential housing, all as specified in regulations to be adopted by the Agency;

(23)      To provide, or contract for the providing of, management and counseling services whenever, in the judgment of the Agency, no other satisfactory low-income housing counseling service is available for occupants of rental projects for persons of lower income or for prospective homeowners of lower income; provided, however, that no such program shall be undertaken until the Agency shall have made a study of its feasibility and shall have determined that the undertaking of such program will not adversely affect other programs of the Agency;

(24)      To advise the Governor regarding the coordination of public and private low- and moderate-income housing programs;

(25)      To participate in and administer federal housing programs, including housing rehabilitation, construction of new housing, assistance to the homeless, and home ownership assistance;

(26)      To acquire, hold, rent, encumber, transfer, convey, and otherwise deal with real property and utilities in the same manner as a private person or corporation, subject only to the approval of the Governor and Council of State. The Board of Directors may pledge or encumber income and assets of the Agency to secure financing for real property; and

(27)      To select and retain, subject to the approval of the Local Government Commission, the financial consultants, underwriters, and bond attorneys to be associated with the issuance of any bonds and to pay for services rendered by underwriters, financial consultants, or bond attorneys out of the proceeds of any such issue with regard to which the services were performed.

(28)      Repealed by Session Laws 2010-31, s. 23.1(b).