--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1502" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "1502" heading: "Initiation and development of projects; jurisdiction; acquisition of property; fees of architects, engineers, etc." release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1502" units: - "Chapter 9 — Housing of Persons Engaged in National Defense" - "Subchapter I — Projects Generally" --- # §1502. Initiation and development of projects; jurisdiction; acquisition of property; fees of architects, engineers, etc. - (a) [Projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) may be initiated under this subchapter by the Department of the Navy or Army or the Air Force to provide dwellings on or near naval or military reservations, posts or bases for rental to the officers, enlisted men and employees of the Departments of the Navy, Army, and Air Force described in [section 1501 of this title](/usc/42/1501.md). Such [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) shall be developed by the Department of the Navy or Army or the Air Force or by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development, whichever the President determines is better suited to the fulfillment of the purposes of this subchapter with respect to any particular [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2). If the development of such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is to be undertaken by the Department of the Navy or Army or Air Force, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development is authorized to aid the development of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) by furnishing technical assistance and by transferring to such Department the funds necessary for the development of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2). Any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) developed for the purpose of this section shall be leased to the Department of the Navy or Army or Air Force by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development (who shall have title to such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) until repayment of the cost thereof to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development as prescribed in such lease) upon such terms as shall be prescribed in the lease, which may be the same terms as are authorized by the United States Housing Act of 1937 [[42 U.S.C. 1437](/usc/42/1437.md) et seq.], with respect to leases to public housing [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1). All the provisions of said Act which apply to the development of [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development shall (insofar as applicable and not inconsistent herewith) apply to the development of [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) by the Department of the Navy or Army or Air Force. Notwithstanding other provisions of this or any other law, the Department leasing a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) shall have the same jurisdiction over such [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) as it has over the reservation, post or base in connection with which the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) is developed. - (b) The Department of the Navy or Army or Air Force, in connection with any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) developed or leased by it, and the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development, in connection with any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) developed or assisted by him, for the purposes of this subchapter, may acquire real or personal property or any interest therein by purchase, eminent domain, gift, lease or otherwise. The provisions of sections [3111](/usc/40/3111.md) and [3112](/usc/40/3112.md) of title 40 shall not apply to the acquisition of any real property by the Department of the Navy or Army or Air Force or by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development for the purposes of this subchapter or to the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) developed thereon, and the provisions of [section 1302 of title 40](/usc/40/1302.md), shall not apply to any lease of any [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) developed for the purposes of this subchapter or of any dwelling therein. Condemnation proceedings instituted by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development shall be in the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2)’s own name and the practice and procedure governing such proceedings by the United States shall be followed, and the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development shall likewise be entitled to proceed in accordance with the provisions of sections [3114](/usc/40/3114.md) to [3116](/usc/40/3116.md) and [3118](/usc/40/3118.md) of title 40 and an Act of Congress approved March 1, 1929 (45 Stat. 1415).[^1] If the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development acquires land in connection with a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to be assisted for the purposes of this subchapter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) may convey such land to the public housing [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) involved for a consideration equal to the cost of the land to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development. The Departments of the Navy, Army, and Air Force and the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development may negotiate, contract and fix such fees as they determine are reasonable for the services of architects, engineers, surveyors, appraisers, title examiners and real estate negotiators in connection with specific [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) developed by them under this subchapter. The [Secretaries](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Navy, Army, and Air Force are authorized to make available to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development any land that is needed for a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to be developed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development and leased to the Department of the Navy or Army or Air Force and to execute such leases, agreements and other instruments with the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. ## Footnotes [^1]: See References in Text note below. ## Source credit (June 28, 1940, ch. 440, title II, § 202, 54 Stat. 682; Oct. 26, 1942, ch. 626, § 1(b), 56 Stat. 988; July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, §§ 205(a), 207(a), (f), 61 Stat. 501–503; 1947 Reorg. Plan No. 3, § 4(a), eff. July 27, 1947, 12 F.R. 4981, 61 Stat. 955; Pub. L. 89–174, § 5(a), Sept. 9, 1965, 79 Stat. 669.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text The United States Housing Act of 1937 and said Act, referred to in subsec. (a), are act Sept. 1, 1937, ch. 896, as revised generally by Pub. L. 93–383, title II, § 201(a), Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 653, which is classified generally to chapter 8 (§ 1437 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1437 of this title and Tables. The Act of Congress approved March 1, 1929, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Mar. 1, 1929, ch. 416, 45 Stat. 1415, which was classified to chapter 7 (§ 361 et seq.) of former Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, and was repealed by Pub. L. 88–241, § 21(b), Dec. 23, 1963, 77 Stat. 627. ### Codification In subsec. (b), “sections 3111 and 3112 of title 40” substituted for “section 355 of the Revised Statutes”, “section 1302 of title 40” substituted for “section 321 of the Act of June 30, 1932 (U.S.C. 1934 edition, title 40, sec. 303b)”, and “sections 3114 to 3116 and 3118 of title 40” substituted for “the Act of Congress approved February 26, 1931 (46 Stat. 1421)” on authority of Pub. L. 107–217, § 5(c), Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1303, the first section of which enacted Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works. ### Amendments 1942—Subsec. (a). Act Oct. 26, 1942, inserted “officers,” after “rental to the” in first sentence. ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Change of Name Department of the Air Force inserted to conform to act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, § 207(a), (f), 61 Stat. 502, 503, and Secretary of Defense Transfer Order No. 40 [App. A(75)], July 22, 1949. Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by act July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, § 205(a), 61 Stat. 501. Sections 205(a) and 207(a), (f) of act July 26, 1947, were repealed by act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 53, 70A Stat. 641. Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 1, 70A Stat. 1, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces”, which in sections 3010 to 3013 and 8010 to 8013 continued Departments of the Army and Air Force under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Air Force, respectively. ### Transfer of Functions For transfer of functions to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, see note set out under section 1501 of this title.