S 0077 General Bill, By McConnell, Elliott, McGill and Rankin
 A BILL TO AMEND ARTICLE 5, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 31, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO CITY HOUSING AUTHORITIES, BY ADDING SECTION
 31-3-470 SO AS TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING AND ASSESSMENT REPORT PRIOR TO
 ACQUIRING REAL PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A HOUSING PROJECT.

   11/18/98  Senate Prefiled
   11/18/98  Senate Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
   01/12/99  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-35
   01/12/99  Senate Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry SJ-35

TO AMEND ARTICLE 5, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 31, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO CITY HOUSING AUTHORITIES, BY ADDING SECTION 31-3-470 SO AS TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING AND ASSESSMENT REPORT PRIOR TO ACQUIRING REAL PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING A HOUSING PROJECT.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 31 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 31-3-470. (A) Whenever an authority created pursuant to this article plans to acquire real property for the purpose of building a housing project, the authority, prior to purchasing the real property, must first:

(1) give public notice of the authority's plans to purchase the real property at least forty-five days prior to the purchase of the property and provide for a public hearing to hear from any resident, landowner, or any other entity that could be impacted by the proposed purchase of the real property and the construction of the housing project at that site; and

(2) provide an assessment report for the project at least thirty days prior to the purchase of the real property.

(B) The required public notice must be published at least three times in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the real property is located. The public notice must also be prominently displayed in the county courthouse of the county where the real property is located. The public notice shall, at a minimum, contain:

(1) the name, address, and telephone number of the authority planning the purchase;

(2) the location of the real property proposed to be purchased and a locational map showing the proposed site;

(3) the nature of the project proposed to be constructed at the site; and

(4) any other information that is necessary to fully inform the public about the proposed purchase and the housing project.

(C) The assessment and report, required by subsection (A)(2) must, at a minimum, include:

(1) a description of the proposed project, the purpose of the project, and the plan for implementing the project;

(2) a determination of the need of the purchase and project and the expected benefit of the project;

(3) the effect of the project on existing landowners, residents, and business owners in the geographical area that would be impacted by the project;

(4) an appraisal on how existing property values would be impacted by the project;

(5) the effect that the project would have on existing government resources such as police, fire, and health services in the impacted geographical area,

(6) the sources of revenue for the proposed project;

(7) an assessment of the environmental impact that could be caused by the project; and

(8) an assessment of the archaeological impact that could be caused by the project."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.