968 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 562

Laws of Maryland, Flack's Edition 1939, title "Housing
Authorities", to be known as Sections 24 to 30 inclusive,
under the sub-title "Defense Housing by Housing Authori-
ties", and to follow immediately after Section 23 of said
Article, to read as follows:

24. Any Housing Authority may undertake the devel-
opment and administration of projects to assure the avail-
ability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged
in national-defense activities whom the Housing Authority
determines would not otherwise be able to secure safe and
sanitary dwellings, but no Housing Authority shall initiate
the development of any such project pursuant to this Act
after December 31, 1943.

In the ownership, development or administration of such
projects, a Housing Authority shall have all the rights,
powers, privileges and immunities that such Authority
has under any provision of law relating to the ownership,
development or administration of slum clearance and
housing projects for persons of low income, in the same
manner as though all the provisions of law applicable to
slum clearance and housing projects for persons of low
income were applicable to projects developed or admin-
istered to assure the availability of safe and sanitary
dwellings for persons engaged in national-defense activi-
ties as provided in this sub-title, and housing projects de-
veloped or administered hereunder shall constitute "hous-
ing projects" under the sections of this Article other than
this sub-title, as that term is used therein; provided, that
during that period (herein called the "National-Defense
Period") that a Housing Authority finds (which finding
shall be conclusive in any suit, action or proceeding) that
within its area of operation (as defined in said Article),
or any part thereof, there is an acute shortage of safe
and sanitary dwellings which impedes the national-defense
program in this State and that the necessary safe and
sanitary dwellings would not otherwise be provided when
needed for persons engaged in national-defense activities,
any project developed or administered by such Housing
Authority (or by any Housing Authority cooperating with
it in such area pursuant to this sub-title, with the financial
aid of the Federal Government (or as agent for the Fed-
eral Government as hereinafter provided) shall not be
subject to the limitations provided in Section 10 and the
second sentence of Section 9 of this Article; or any other
limitation relating to the amount of rentals or eligibility
of tenants other than as provided under this sub-title; and
provided further, that, during the National Defense
Period, a Housing Authority may make payments in such