West Virginia Code
Article 15. State Housing Law
§16-15-7. Authority a Body Corporate and Politic; Powers; Investigations or Examinations

(a) An authority is a body both 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 article, including the following powers in addition to others granted:
(1) To investigate living and housing conditions in the authority's area of operation and the means and methods of improving the conditions;
(2) To determine whether unsanitary or substandard housing conditions exist;
(3) To study and make recommendations concerning the city or county plan in relation to the problems of clearing, replanning, redevelopment and reconstruction of areas in which unsanitary or substandard conditions exist, and the providing of housing accommodations for persons of low and moderate income, and to cooperate with any city, county or regional planning agency, to prepare, carry out and operate developments;
(4) To provide for the construction, reconstruction, redevelopment, improvement, alteration or repair of any development or any part of a development;
(5) To take over by purchase, lease or otherwise any development undertaken by any government;
(6) To act as agent for the federal government in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation or management of a development or any part of a development;
(7) To arrange with the city or with a government for the furnishing, planning, replanning, opening or closing of streets, roads, roadways, alleys or other places or facilities, or for the acquisition by the city, county, state or federal government or any agency, instrumentality or subdivision thereof, of property, options or property rights or for the furnishing of property or services in connection with a development;
(8) To sell, lease or rent any of the housing or other accommodations of any of the lands, buildings, structures or facilities embraced in any development, and to establish and revise the rents or charges therefor;
(9) 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 eminent domain or otherwise, sell, exchange, transfer, assign or mortgage any property real or personal or any interest therein;
(10) To acquire any property real or personal or any interest therein from any person, firm, corporation, or the city, county, state or federal government or any agency, instrumentality or subdivision thereof, by gift, grant, bequest or devise; to own, hold, clear and improve property; in its discretion, to insure or provide for the insurance of the property or operations of the authority against risks as the authority considers advisable;
(11) To borrow money upon its bonds, notes, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness, and to secure them by mortgages upon property held or to be held by it or by pledge of its revenues, or in any other manner;
(12) 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;
(13) To sue and be sued;
(14) To have a seal, and to alter it;
(15) To have perpetual succession;
(16) To make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority;
(17) To form and operate nonprofit corporations and other affiliates of every kind and description, which may be wholly or partially owned or controlled, for carrying out the purposes of this article and in connection with the exercise of any of the powers of a housing authority;
(18) To participate in cooperative arrangements with persons and for-profit entities whose purpose is solely that of pecuniary gain, as well as with nonprofit entities and persons who seek no pecuniary gain. The participation of a housing authority in any arrangement with other persons or entities, including for-profit persons and entities, may not cause any activity engaged in by the authority to be characterized as proprietary nor deprive the authority of any privilege or immunity otherwise existing under law;
(19) To participate as a general or limited partner, coventurer, shareholder, or otherwise as a principal, an investor, a lender, a guarantor, a contracting party, or in any other manner, all upon terms and conditions, and with rights and obligations, as the governing board of the housing authority shall, from time to time, in its discretion determine to be appropriate;
(20) To make and, from time to time, amend and repeal bylaws and rules not inconsistent with this article to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the authority;
(21) 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;
(22) To issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses or the production of documents and things, for the examination of witnesses who are out of the state or unable to attend before the authority, or excused from attendance;
(23) To pay, in whole or in part, for any person of eligible income the costs of preparation of any title instrument, deed of trust, note or security instrument, the costs of recording any title instrument, deed of trust, note or security instrument, and any impact fee levied pursuant to article twenty, chapter seven of this code, with the condition that in the event the person receiving a payment under this subdivision sells the property attributable to the payment within five years from receiving the payment, the person will repay the full amount of the payment to the authority; and
(24) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers given in this article.
(b) Any of the investigations or examinations provided for in this article may be conducted by the authority or by a committee appointed by it, consisting of one or more members thereof, or by counsel, or by an officer or employee specifically authorized by the authority to conduct it. Any member of the authority, its counsel, or any person designated by it to conduct an investigation or examination, shall have power to administer oaths, take affidavits and issue subpoenas.