In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. “Baltimore Authority” means the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. “Housing project” means a work or undertaking that is planned, acquired, owned, used, developed, constructed, reconstructed, rehabilitated, or improved to provide: housing, of which a substantial part shall be for persons of eligible income; and streets, roads, sewers, water service, and other supporting public or private commercial, educational, cultural, recreational, community, or civic facilities that are needed for sound community development. “Housing project” includes lands, buildings, improvements, and other real or personal property. “Person of eligible income” means an individual or a family that lacks sufficient income or assets without financial assistance to live in decent, safe, and sanitary housing without overcrowding.

Title 12 of this article applies to the Baltimore Authority except where it is inconsistent with this title.

The General Assembly finds that: in Baltimore City and in the area of operation of the Baltimore Authority there is unsafe and unsanitary housing, and there is a critical shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary housing that persons of eligible income can afford to rent or buy; as a result of this shortage, persons of eligible income must occupy overcrowded and congested housing or must pay too much of their income for shelter; these conditions require too much public money to be spent for public health and safety, fire and accident protection, crime prevention and punishment, and other public services and facilities; the shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary housing cannot be wholly relieved through private enterprise, and therefore building housing for persons of eligible income and spending public money to help get it built do not compete with private enterprise; the construction and operation of housing to remedy the conditions described in this section and the implementation of this title are valid public purposes and essential government functions for which public money may be spent; and the provisions of this title are necessary in the public interest.

The Housing Authority of Baltimore City is a public body corporate and politic that: exercises public and essential governmental functions; and has all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this Division II.

In addition to the powers listed elsewhere in this Division II and any powers given by local law, the Baltimore Authority within its area of operation may: make mortgage loans; make rent subsidy payments to or for persons of eligible income; make construction loans and long-term mortgage loans to any person to produce housing for persons of eligible income; and purchase and insure mortgages secured by housing for persons of eligible income. Not more than 80% of the residents of a housing project may have incomes above the levels for persons of eligible income. The listing of powers in this section does not imply that the exercise of those powers by the Baltimore Authority before July 1, 1990, was unauthorized. The power of the Baltimore Authority to rent housing to persons of eligible income is not limited by § 12-402 of this article.

An employee of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development or of any unit succeeding to its functions may be a Commissioner of the Baltimore Authority.

A housing project may not be commenced, arranged, contracted for, or carried out in the City of Baltimore unless the Board of Estimates of Baltimore City approves its location.

In this section, “Baltimore Authority police officer” means a member of the Housing Authority of Baltimore City Police Force who, when acting in an official capacity, may make arrests. There is a Housing Authority of Baltimore City Police Force. The Executive Director of the Baltimore Authority or the Director’s designee shall appoint the Baltimore Authority police officers. A Baltimore Authority police officer has all of the powers of a law enforcement officer in the State. A Baltimore Authority police officer may exercise these powers on property that is owned, leased, operated by, or under the control of the Baltimore Authority. A Baltimore Authority police officer may exercise these powers elsewhere only if: doing so is necessary to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic to or from property that is owned, leased, operated by, or under the control of the Baltimore Authority; or the officer is: ordered to do so by the Mayor of Baltimore City; asked or authorized to do so by the Police Commissioner of Baltimore City; or engaged in fresh pursuit of a suspected offender. The Baltimore Authority shall adopt standards, qualifications, and prerequisites of character, training, education, human and public relations, experience, and performance for Baltimore Authority police officers. To the extent feasible, the standards shall be similar to those adopted for the Baltimore City Police Department. This section does not: treat a Baltimore Authority police officer as a member of the Baltimore City Police Department; or affect the salary, benefits, or retirement program of an employee of the Baltimore Authority. The list of powers in this section does not imply that the exercise of powers by the Baltimore Authority before July 1, 1991, was unauthorized.

The Baltimore Authority may recognize and engage in collective bargaining with the exclusive bargaining representatives of all appropriate employee bargaining units, including units consisting of: maintenance, housekeeping, and technical personnel; administrative and clerical personnel; and supervisory personnel. The power under paragraph (1) of this section includes the power of the Baltimore Authority to: deal with and, through an exclusive bargaining representative, address grievances and settle disputes; meet and bargain in good faith with an exclusive bargaining representative about wages, hours, working conditions, and other terms and conditions of employment to form a binding labor agreement; and draft and execute labor agreements that last not more than 3 consecutive fiscal years. A bargaining unit under paragraph (1) of this subsection may not include: confidential employees; contractual employees employed for less than 5 consecutive years; probationary employees; attorneys in the general counsel’s office; supervisors, as defined in 29 U.S.C. § 152(11); or employees whose main responsibility is to manage or direct independently the assets and affairs of the Baltimore Authority. The Baltimore Authority may engage in binding third-party arbitration of: disputes over a term or condition of employment; and grievances that relate to the interpretation or application of a written collective bargaining agreement, employment regulation, or work rule. The Baltimore Authority may exercise any power that is necessary and appropriate to establish and implement a system of collective bargaining with its employees.