(a) The Council on Housing is continued and shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Governor, Housing Director and the General Assembly and shall consider matters relating to housing in this State and such other matters as may be referred to it by the Governor, the Housing Director or the General Assembly. The Council shall study, research, plan and advise the Governor, Housing Director and the General Assembly on matters it deems appropriate to enable DSHA to function in the best possible manner.
(b) The Council shall review, advise and make recommendations on all DSHA programs.
(c) The Council on Housing shall be composed of 11 members to be appointed by the Governor. There shall be 2 members from each county, 2 members that reside in the City of Wilmington and 3 members at large, 1 of which is a member of a tenant organization. The term of appointment to the Council shall be 3 years. Members shall be eligible for reappointment. A member of the Council shall be suspended or removed by the Governor for misfeasance, nonfeasance, malfeasance, misconduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty. A member subject to disciplinary hearing shall be disqualified from Council business until the charge is adjudicated or the matter is otherwise concluded. A member may appeal any suspension or removal to the Superior Court.
(d) At least 5, but no more than 6, members of the Council shall be affiliated with one of the major political parties and at least 4, but no more than 5, members shall be affiliated with the other major political party; provided however, that there shall be no more than a bare majority representation of one major political party over the other major political party. Any person who declines to announce that person's own political affiliation shall also be eligible for appointment as a member of the Council.
(e) Members of the Council shall serve without compensation, except that they may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incident to their duties as members of the Council.
(f) A Chairperson of the Council shall be chosen by the members of the Council from among its members and shall serve in that capacity for a term of 1 year. The Chairperson shall be eligible for reelection but may not serve as Chairperson for more than 3 consecutive 1-year terms.
(g) Any appointment pursuant to this section to replace a member whose position becomes vacant prior to the expiration of the member's term shall be filled only for the remainder of that term. Any person appointed to serve out the remainder of an unexpired term shall be eligible for reappointment.
(h) The Chairperson of the Council shall direct the Council's operations and shall perform such other duties as the Housing Director may direct.
(i) The Council shall have the authority to draft and adopt bylaws governing its operations, consistent with the provisions herein. The Housing Director may assign to employment on behalf of the Council such secretarial, clerical and other assistants in DSHA as the internal operation of the Council shall require and for such purposes as the Housing Director shall consider necessary.
(j) The Council shall issue an annual report to the Governor, the Housing Director and the General Assembly on its activities, as well as the housing needs of this State, key statistics and trends, Housing Development Fund expenditures and any recommendations for changes in law, policy and/or funding related to housing.