1Amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), entitled, as
2amended, "An act to promote public health, safety, morals,
3and welfare by declaring the necessity of creating public
4bodies, corporate and politic, to be known as housing
5authorities to engage in slum clearance, and to undertake
6projects, to provide dwelling accommodations for persons of
7low income; providing for the organization of such housing
8authorities; defining their powers and duties; providing for
9the exercise of such powers, including the acquisition of
10property by purchase, gift or eminent domain, the renting and
11selling of property, and including borrowing money, issuing
12bonds, and other obligations, and giving security therefor;
13prescribing the remedies of obligees of housing authorities;
14authorizing housing authorities to enter into agreements,
15including agreements with the United States, the
16Commonwealth, and political subdivisions and municipalities
17thereof; defining the application of zoning, sanitary, and
18building laws and regulations to projects built or maintained
19by such housing authorities; exempting the property and
20securities of such housing authorities from taxation; and
21imposing duties and conferring powers upon the State Planning
22Board, and certain other State officers and departments,"
23further providing for establishment of rentals and selection
24of tenants; and providing for veteran preferences.

25The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
26hereby enacts as follows:

27Section 1. Section 13 of the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955,

1No.265), referred to as the Housing Authorities Law, amended May
220, 1949 (P.L.1614, No.486), is amended to read:

3Section 13. Establishment of Rentals and Selection of
4Tenants.--[An] Subject to the preferences under section 13.2, an
5Authority may rent or lease dwelling accommodations only to
6persons of low income and at rentals within their financial
7reach. It may rent or lease to a tenant a dwelling consisting of
8the number of rooms (but no greater number) which it deems
9necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations to the
10proposed occupants thereof without overcrowding. It shall not
11accept any person as a tenant in any housing project if the
12person or persons, who would occupy the dwelling, have an
13aggregate annual income in excess of six times the annual rental
14of the quarters to be furnished such person or persons. In
15computing rental for the purpose of selecting tenants, there
16shall be included in the rental the average annual cost, as
17determined by the Authority, to the occupants of heat, water,
18electricity, gas, cooking range, and other necessary services or
19facilities, whether or not the charge for such services and
20facilities is in fact included in the rental. Every Authority
21shall file a schedule of its rental charges for dwelling
22accommodations with the State Planning Board.

23Nothing contained in this or the preceding section shall be
24construed as limiting the power of an Authority to vest in an
25obligee the right, in the event of a default by the Authority,
26to take possession of a housing project, or cause the
27appointment of a receiver thereof, or acquire title thereto
28through foreclosure proceedings, free from all the restrictions
29imposed by this or the preceding section.

30Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:

1Section 13.2. Veteran Preferences.--<-(a) In selecting a
2tenant under section 13, an authority shall <-give preference as
3follows:

4(a) First preference shall be given to homeless veterans.

5(b) Second preference shall be given to disabled veterans or
6families of disabled veterans whose disabilities have been
7determined by the United States Veterans Administration to be
8service connected.

9(c) Third preference shall be given to families of deceased
10veterans and servicemen whose deaths have been determined by the
11United States Veterans Administration to be service connected.

12(d) Fourth preference shall be given to other veterans or
13servicemen or families of other veterans or servicemen. <-provide
14a preference for any active duty United States servicemember or
15veteran. The preference shall extend to:

16(1) The household of which the servicemember or veteran is a
17member.

18(2) The surviving household members of a deceased
19servicemember or veteran who died of service-connected causes,
20provided:

21(i) The death occurred during active duty service or within
22five years of discharge from service.

23(ii) The death occurred not more than five years from the
24date of application for housing.

25(b) The preference established by this section shall be
26cumulative with any other preference allowed by the housing
27authority for which the applicant qualifies, so that
28servicemembers or veterans have priority over nonservicemembers
29and nonveterans within each preference category.

30(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede:

1(1) Any Federal law or regulation relating to or local
2preferences adopted pursuant to Federal law.

3(2) Any Federal law or regulation concerning tenant
4eligibility and selection or local criteria adopted pursuant to
5Federal law.

6Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.