Chap. 168.—An ACT to authorize the development, operation and administration
of housing projects for World War II Veterans by any Housing Authority
of this State or of any political subdivision thereof; to authorize such Housing
Authority to obtain and utilize housing properties and financial loans or grants
from the Federal Government or any agency thereof; and to authorize political
subdivisions of this State to make loans to any such Housing Authority; and
to declare an emergency. [H B 350]

Approved March 11, 1946

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia :

1. An emergency is hereby declared to exist due to the acute
housing shortage in various parts of this State with the result that large
numbers of Virginians returning from service in the Armed Forces of the
United States in World War II are unable to obtain safe and sanitary
housing for themselves or their immediate families ; which emergency con-
dition is expected to become aggravated during the next two years by the
return of additional thousands of Virginians from said war service.

2. In this Act the term “World War II Veteran” means any resi-
dent of Virginia who was a member of the Armed Forces of the United
States at any time during the recent war with Germany and Japan, who
has been, or who shall hereafter be, discharged or retired from said war
service under conditions other than dishonorable.

3. The term “Housing Authority’, as used in this Act, means -
any corporation heretofore or hereafter created under the general laws of
this State which has been or hereafter shall be authorized by any political
subdivision thereof, for the purpose of constructing, renting, or other-
wise acquiring housing, and managing or administering the same on a
low cost, non-profit basis.

4. Any such Housing Authority, as hereinabove defined, is hereby
authorized to initiate, develop, construct, purchase, or rent housing proj-
ects, planned on a low cost, non-profit basis, for World War II Veterans
and their immediate families who are unable to obtain suitable housing
otherwise. Said Housing Authority is likewise authorized to operate,
manage, administer and maintain said projects; provided, however, that
no such project shall be initiated or begun by any such Housing Authority
subsequent to March one, nineteen hundred forty-eight. In the opera-
tion, management, administration and maintenance of such projects the
Housing Authority shall not become or act as a political subdivision of
the State and shall be subject to State and local taxation. Any such
Housing Authority is hereby authorized to enter into negotiations with
the Government of the United States, or any agency or agencies thereof,
and to enter into contracts with the same for loans, grants, properties,
equipment and such other assistance as may be available under present
or future Federal laws and regulations ; provided, however, that no politi-
cal subdivision of this State shall be held financially responsible for the
obligations of any such Housing Authority.

5. Any political subdivision of this State may make loans to any
such Housing Authority on such terms and conditions as such political
subdivision, acting through the governing body thereof, shall see fit.

6. All Acts or parts of Acts heretofore enacted concerning any
such Housing Authority, are hereby amended to such extent as may be
necessary to conform with this Act.

7. If any part of this Act shall be held invalid for any reason by
any Court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the
validity of the remainder of this Act.

8. An emergency exists and this Act is in force from its passage.