HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR, 873

advance to the Commission in its discretion, such other funds
as may be needed to carry out the purposes of this Act.

The Land Development Commission shall have power and
authority to: (a) acquire by purchase, lease or condemnation,
real estate in slums and blighted areas for re-development, in
accordance with plans to be made under the authority of this
Act for the re-development of such areas. Before any such re-
development plans shall become effective, they shall be ap-
proved by the Commission on City Plan of Baltimore City and
conformed to any zoning uses and regulations. No construc-
tion work shall be undertaken until such plans shall have been
so approved, nor shall any re-development plan be approved
by the Commission on City Plan unless at least an area of
eight acres of slums or blighted areas have been acquired.
Specific acts of the Land Development Commission in the ac-
quisition of land and subsequent transfer or lease of such
land to private developers shall in each case be subject to the
approval of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, (b)
Use power of eminent domain to condemn and acquire land in
the slums and blighted areas for the purposes set forth in
this Article, but in no case shall the Land Development Com-
mission have the right to exercise the power of condemnation
unless at least sixty per cent of the area of the slums or
flighted areas involved in the particular plan for redevelop-
ment has been acquired by purchase or option, (e) Petition
the appropriate Federal department or any other source or
agency, for loans of money, if any is available, to be used in
the acquisition of land and any improvements thereon in slums
. and blighted areas for re-development, (d) Petition the ap-
propriate Federal department or any other sources or agency
for grants of money, if any are available, for the preparation
of a re-development plan or plans for a slum or blighted area
or areas, as passed upon by the Commission on City Plan, as
referred to in Article 4 (a), (e) Sell, lease, transfer or con-
vey land acquired, either by sale, lease or condemnation to
private corporations, firms or persons for re-development and
rebuilding, providing the sales or leases are at prices con-
sistent with the new uses which the Commission on City Plan
; shall prescribe for such land. Before any land can be sold,
leased, transferred or conveyed by said Land Development
Commission to any corporation, firm or person, it shall receive
assurance of the financial responsibility of such corporation,
firm or person and shall require the giving of a performance
bond or bonds to assure that the re-development plan will be
carried through to completion, (f) Require in any sale or
lease of land to any corporation, firm or person provisions
obligating the purchasers or lessees of such land to begin the
building or improvements within a reasonable period of time.