Powers of authority generally.
Memphis Charter, art. 79, § 907
in effectSec. 907. - Powers of authority generally.
The authority shall constitute a public body and body corporate and politic, exercising public powers, and having all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this Act, including the following powers in addition to others herein granted:
To investigate into living, dwelling and housing conditions and into the means and methods of improving such conditions; to determine where unsafe, or unsanitary dwelling or housing conditions exists; to study and make recommendations concerning the plan within the boundaries of the City in relation to the problem of clearing, replanning and reconstruction of areas in which unsafe, or unsanitary dwelling or housing conditions exist, and the providing of dwelling accommodations for persons of low income, and to cooperate with the City; to prepare, carry out and operate housing projects; to provide for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, alteration or repair of any housing project or any part thereof; to act as agent of the Federal Government in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation and/or management of a housing project or any part thereof; to provide and maintain parks and sewerage, water and other facilities adjacent to or in connection with housing projects, and to lease or rent any of the dwellings or other accommodations or any of the lands, buildings, structures or facilities embraced in any housing project and to establish and revise the rents or charges therefor; to enter upon any building or property in order to conduct investigations or to make surveys or soundings; to purchase, lease, obtain options upon, acquire by gift, grant, bequest, device, or otherwise any property real or personal or any interest therein from any person, firm, corporation, City, municipality, or government; to acquire by eminent domain any real property, including improvements and fixtures thereon; to sell, exchange, transfer, assign, or pledge any property real or personal or any interest therein to any person, firm, corporation, municipality, City, or government; to own, hold, clear and improve property; to insure or provide for the insurance of the property or operations of the authority against such risks as the authority may deem advisable; to procure insurance or guarantees from a [the] Federal Government of the payment of any debts or parts thereof secured by mortgages made or held by the authority or any property included in any housing project; to borrow money upon its bonds, notes, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness and to secure the same by pledges of its revenues, and (subject to the limitations hereinafter imposed) by mortgages upon property held or to be held by it, or in any other manner; in connection with any loan, to agree to limitations upon its right to dispose of any housing project or part thereof or to undertake additional housing projects; in connection with any loan by a government, to agree to limitations upon the exercise of any powers conferred upon the authority by this Act; to invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to their control; to sue and be sued; to have a seal and to alter the same at pleasure; to have perpetual succession; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority; to make and from time to time amend and repeal by-laws, rules and regulations not inconsistent with this Act, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the authority; to conduct examinations and investigations and to hear testimony and take proof under oath at public or private hearings on any matter material for its information; to issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses or the production of books and papers and to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses who are out of the State or unable to attend before the authority, or excused from attendance; and to make available to such agencies, boards or commissions as are charged with the duty of abating or requiring the correction of nuisances or like conditions, or of demolishing unsafe or unsanitary structures within its territorial limits, its findings and recommendations with regard to any building or property where conditions exist which are dangerous to the public health, morals, safety or welfare. Any of the investigations or examinations provided for in this Act may be conducted by the authority or by a committee appointed by it, consisting of one or more commissioners, or by counsel, or by an officer or employee specially authorized by the authority to conduct it. Any commissioner, counsel for the authority, or any person designated by it to conduct an investigation or examination shall have power to administer oaths, take affidavits and issue subpoenas or commissions. The authority may exercise any or all of the powers herein conferred upon it, either generally or with respect to any specific housing project or projects, through or by an agent or agents which it may designate, including any corporation or corporations which are or shall be formed under the laws of this state, and for such purposes an authority may cause one or more corporations to be formed under the laws of this State or may acquire the capital stock of any corporation or corporations. Any corporate agent, all of the stock of which shall be owned by the authority or its nominee or nominees, may to the extent permitted by law exercise any of the powers conferred upon the authority herein. In addition to all of the other powers herein conferred upon it, the authority may do all things necessary and convenient to carry out the powers expressly given in this Act. No provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation or disposition of property by other public bodies shall be applicable to the authority unless the legislature shall specifically so state.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act or in any other provision of law, the authority may include in any contract let in connection with a project, stipulations requiring that the contractor and any subcontractor comply with requirements as to minimum wages and maximum hours of labor and comply with any conditions which the Federal Government may have attached to its financial aid of the project.
In addition to its rights, powers and privileges granted to the authority in this section and in other sections of this article and elsewhere, the authority is granted the rights, powers, privileges, immunities, and limitations of a housing authority organized in accordance with the provisions of the "Housing Authority Law" of the State of Tennessee (to-wit: Section 13-20-101 et seq., of the Tennessee Code Annotated) that such law presently grants to such housing authorities and that such law may hereafter grant to housing authorities by amendment thereto, it being further clarified and provided that the authority is a governmental entity under Section 29-20-101 et seq., of the Tennessee Code Annotated and is governed by the provisions of such statute and that the immunities provided commissioners, supervisors, and employees under Sections 29-20-201 and 29-20-310 of the Tennessee Code apply to the commissioners, supervisors and employees of the authority.
(Priv. Acts 1935, ch. 615, § 9; Priv. Acts 1937, ch. 900; Ord. No. 3793, § 1(2), 8-9-1988)
Source: City of Memphis, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tn/memphis/codes/charter?nodeId=PTICHRELA_ART79HOAULA_S907POAUGEFetched: 10/28/2026