1. (a) The commissioners court of a county may administer or otherwise engage in community and economic development projects authorized under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 or under any other federal law creating community and economic development programs.

2. (b) The commissioners court of a county may administer, engage in, and otherwise exercise all powers necessary for the county to fully participate in housing and community development programs authorized under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. This authority includes the power to impose assessments on real property and the owners of the property to recover all or part of the cost of a public improvement, as authorized by Section 916 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. The commissioners court may:

   1. (1) use county funds, as matching funds, as may be necessary to obtain grants or financial assistance under that Act; or
   2. (2) obtain grants and financial assistance under any other federal law creating housing and community development programs.

3. (c) The commissioners court of a county may provide services authorized by Chapter 2308, Government Code, if the commissioners court enters into a contract with a local workforce development board for the provision of services authorized by Chapter 2308, Government Code. The commissioners court may collect fees for the services performed and for unreimbursed costs associated with the provision of the services unless:

   1. (1) state law prohibits the collection of the fee or unreimbursed cost; or
   2. (2) the service provided is a service described by Subsections (a) and (b), 29 U.S.C. Section 49f.
4. (d) This section does not authorize a commissioners court to exercise any ordinance-making authority not otherwise specifically granted by state law.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 140, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1991;

Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 826, Sec. 3, eff. June 18, 1997.