503. Powers of municipalities. Every municipality is hereby 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, including but not limited to the following powers:
(a) 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 or other public body, or from any sources public or private, for the purposes of this article; and to give such security as may be required and to enter into and carry out contracts or agreements in connection therewith; 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 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 municipality may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this article. Such conditions may include but shall not be limited to (1) provisions requiring payment of not less than certain minimum salaries and wages to architects, engineers, technicians, laborers, mechanics and other personnel; (2) provisions prohibiting rebates and kick backs; and (3) provisions requiring contractors and subcontractors to furnish reports and other data to the secretary of labor;
(b) Provide local grants-in-aid, as provided under such federal laws, in the form of appropriations, cash, municipal services and facilities, or any other form;
(c) Borrow money and issue bonds or other obligations for the acquisition of property in the same manner as for the acquisition of property for other public purposes or as otherwise provided in article two of the local finance law;
(d) 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 right 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 site work by the municipality or by the person, 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. In the event that such demolition, clearance, improvement or development is done by the municipality or funded by the municipality, the cost thereof may be financed in the same manner as acquisition costs. Any municipality with a population of one million or more persons may provide a loan for the purpose of carrying out such demolition, clearance, improvement or development and use to the person, firm or corporation to whom such property, air rights, easements or air rights site is sold or leased. Such loans shall be made upon terms and conditions approved by the agency, for a term not to exceed thirty years;
(e) 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 a municipality may itself reconstruct, repair, rehabilitate or otherwise improve such real property or may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of such real property, for the effectuation of such activities or purposes by the purchaser or lessee thereof, pursuant to the provisions of section five hundred seven of this article;
(f) 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;
(g) 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.
(h) for the purpose of preserving the integrity of an urban renewal plan, to require, for a maximum period of three years after approval of an urban renewal plan pursuant to section five hundred five of this article, the consent of the agency to the issuance of a building construction or alteration permit or certificate of occupancy for a structure or use within the urban renewal area or within that part or portion of such area for which a plan has been so approved (except for construction, alteration or use which is necessary for the immediate protection of public health or safety). Such consent shall be based upon a determination by the agency that the proposed construction, alteration or use is not inconsistent with the plan.
(i) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this chapter, or in any general, special or local law, in addition to any other powers of a municipality, to appropriate the necessary funds for and authorize the payment of the actual reasonable moving and related expenses as well as supplemental and additional payments to be paid to individuals, families, business concerns or non-profit organizations displaced by reason of urban renewal or other federally-aided activities, so that disproportionate injuries are not suffered as a result of such programs, in accordance with federal law, rules and regulations, as may be imposed by any contract for financial assistance between the municipality and federal government, in connection with an urban renewal project or other authorized program, pursuant to such conditions as the municipality may deem reasonable and appropriate and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this article.
Last modified: February 3, 2019