1. (a) The Department shall:

   1. (1) encourage and assist political subdivisions and public and private community organizations to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to their common problems;
   2. (2) serve as a clearinghouse for information and materials that may be pertinent to sound community assistance, including information on available federal, State, and private financial assistance and technical assistance;
   3. (3) implement model or demonstration programs and projects or otherwise provide a program of practical research in community assistance;
   4. (4) provide grants and loans for energy conservation and the use of solar energy in commercial and residential buildings;
   5. (5) provide advisory, consultative, training, and educational services, and technical assistance to any political subdivision, local public agency, or nonprofit organization for community assistance purposes;
   6. (6) contract for and accept a gift, grant, contribution, or loan of money, property, or other aid for community assistance from a governmental unit, the federal government, or another source and comply with the terms and conditions of that aid;
   7. (7) attach terms and conditions to financial assistance as the Secretary determines;
   8. (8) participate with political subdivisions, regional governments, organizations, and the federal government in developing, financing, and implementing a program to build the management capabilities of municipal corporations by supplying needed managerial expertise through circuit riding managers;
   9. (9) administer federal programs relating to community assistance; and
   10. (10) develop and implement a weatherization program in accordance with Title 4 of this article and administer the low-income weatherization component of the electric universal service program in accordance with § 7-512.1 of the Public Utilities Article.

2. (b) The Department may:

   1. (1) sell any mortgage or other obligation that the Department holds at public or private sale, with or without public bidding;
   2. (2) retain the servicing rights and charge servicing fees for any mortgage or other obligation that the Department sells; and
   3. (3) apply the proceeds from any sale and servicing fees earned to any of the funds established under Title 4, Subtitle 5 of this article.

Added by Acts 2005, c. 26, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2005. Amended by Acts 2005, c. 468, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2005; Acts 2008, c. 528, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2010, c. 52, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2014, c. 229, § 2, eff. July 1, 2014.