<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="5-215" title_number="5" title_name="Powers" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Enumeration of Express Law Making Powers">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section applies only to a municipality that has urban renewal authority granted under Article III, § 61 of the Maryland Constitution.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subject to subsection (e) of this section, a municipality may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>acquire property of any kind in the municipality, including any right, interest, franchise, easement, or privilege attached to the property, by purchase, lease, gift, condemnation, or any other legal means for development or redevelopment of the property, including comprehensive renovation or rehabilitation; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>sell, lease, convey, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any property acquired under item (1) of this subsection, to any person or public or quasi–public entity:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>whether or not the property has been developed, redeveloped, altered, or improved; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>regardless of how the property was acquired.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A municipality shall provide just compensation to the owner of any property acquired by the municipality under subsection (b) of this section if the property is taken by eminent domain.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The amount of compensation paid to an owner under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be determined by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an agreement by the parties to the transaction; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a jury award.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A municipality shall pay the amount of compensation determined under paragraph (2) of this subsection to the owner before taking the property.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Any property needed, or taken by eminent domain, by a municipality for the purposes in subsection (b) of this section or in connection with the exercise of any power of a municipality under this section is considered to be needed or taken for a public use or benefit.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Before acquiring a single–family or multifamily dwelling unit or other structure under this section, a municipality shall find that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the dwelling unit or structure has deteriorated to an extent that constitutes a serious and growing menace to the public health, safety, and welfare;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the dwelling unit or structure is likely to continue to deteriorate;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the continued deterioration of the dwelling unit or structure will contribute to the blighting or deterioration of the area immediately surrounding the dwelling unit or structure; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the owner of the dwelling unit or structure has not corrected the deterioration.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The legislative body of a municipality shall adopt an ordinance for each acquisition of property made under this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
