reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 6 - Election Code (2011) › Chapter 411 - Prohibitions and Election-Related Crimes (§§ 4231 — 4255) › § 4252 - Election day

Any person who:
(a) Through violence, intimidation, abuse of authority, deceit, or any illegal action, obstructs, hinders, pretends, or influences to change or prevent the vote of a qualified voter, or who offers or receives a bribe or financial offer to abstain from, obstruct, prevent, influence, or change that vote; or
(b) without being entitled to vote, attempts to do so or who, although having the right to vote, attempts to do so more than once; or
(c) during the day set for an election process, disturbs such process in or outside of a polling place and up to a radius of one hundred (100) meters therefrom, by violence or noise, disrespectful language or behavior, or who, without being a law enforcement officer, carries a firearm or any object for the purpose of inflicting bodily injury; or
(d) illegally enters, attempts to enter, or allows another person to illegally enter any polling place, except in the manner provided by this subtitle or by regulation of the Commission; or
(e) hinders or attempts to hinder the election officials in the performance of their duties under this subtitle; or illegally removes, or consents to the removal of any election material from the place where such material should legally be maintained, displayed, or kept; or attempts to, or allows the use of election forms or false or unofficial ballots, during the election or process; or
(f) knowingly attempts to or violates the secrecy of a vote; or defaces or marks a ballot in an illegal manner for the purpose of identifying, invalidating, or substituting it; or discloses the contents of a ballot already marked by him/her or by another voter, to any person before depositing it in the ballot box; or destroys any equipment used in an election;
(g) coerces or requires anyone through threat, intimidation, force, violence, subterfuge, or deceit to use any image recording device with the intention of infringing a voter’s right to a secret vote shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for a minimum term of one (1) month and a maximum term of six (6) months, or a minimum fine of one hundred dollars ($100) and a maximum fine of five hundred dollars ($500), or both penalties, at the discretion of the court.
History —June 1, 2011, No. 78, § 12.022.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 6 - Election Code (2011) › Chapter 411 - Prohibitions and Election-Related Crimes (§§ 4231 — 4255) › § 4253 - Double voting

Any person who, without being entitled to vote, succeeds in doing so or who, although having the right to vote, should do so more than once, shall be guilty of a fourth-degree felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished by imprisonment, pursuant to the provisions of §§ 4644 and 4694 of Title 33.
History —June 1, 2011, No. 78, § 12.023.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 6 - Election Code (2011) › Chapter 411 - Prohibitions and Election-Related Crimes (§§ 4231 — 4255) › § 4253a - Interference with electronic voting system

Any person who unlawfully takes any electronic voting or canvassing system or device, or any of its components, software, or password, shall be guilty of a second-degree felony.
Any person who manipulates, attempts to manipulate, or destroys any electronic voting or canvassing system or device, or any of its components, software, or system content with the intent to prevent someone from casting his/her vote, change a duly cast vote, intervene to prevent a duly cast vote from being counted, cause an unduly cast vote to be counted, or alter the results of the same, shall be guilty of a third-degree felony.
History —June 1, 2011, No. 78, added as § 12.024 on Nov. 21, 2011, No. 230, § 37.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 6 - Election Code (2011) › Chapter 411 - Prohibitions and Election-Related Crimes (§§ 4231 — 4255) › § 4254 - Competence of the Court of First Instance, appointment of a Special Prosecutor, and applicable rules of procedure

The procedures for violations of this subtitle shall be heard, initially, before the Court of First Instance with competence over the precinct where the violation is committed, and before the judge appointed pursuant to Chapter 403 of this subtitle.
The Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico, by request of an Election Commissioner, shall appoint one (1) attorney or prosecutor; by request of the Election Commissioner concerned, to act as Special Prosecutor before the Courts in election-related criminal proceedings that arise under this subtitle, once the judge has found probable cause in said proceedings. The political party of the Election Commissioner who requests the designation of a Special Prosecutor shall pay the expenses and fees in which said Special Prosecutor incurs. No political party may have more than one (1) Special Prosecutor simultaneously. The foregoing does not constitute a limitation for the political party to substitute the Special Prosecutor, if it deems it necessary.
The Secretary of Justice shall submit a quarterly report to the Commission on the election-related complaints or criminal cases under his/her consideration or filed with the courts.
Every criminal proceeding instituted under the provisions of this subtitle shall be handled pursuant to the Rules of Criminal Procedure of Puerto Rico in effect at the time it is heard in court.
History —June 1, 2011, No. 78, § 12.024, renumbered as § 12.025 on Nov. 21, 2011, No. 230, § 37.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SIXTEEN - Election and Registration (§§ 1 — 4255) › Subtitle 6 - Election Code (2011) › Chapter 411 - Prohibitions and Election-Related Crimes (§§ 4231 — 4255) › § 4255 - Statute of limitations

Criminal action to be taken regarding election-related crimes classified as felonies shall prescribe after five (5) years. Criminal action for election-related crimes classified as misdemeanors, as well as those that entail fines, shall prescribe after three (3) years.
Violations of the provisions of this subtitle and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder that are not specifically classified and punishable as election-related crimes, and that are subject to administrative fines, shall prescribe after three (3) years.
History —June 1, 2011, No. 78, § 12.025, renumbered as § 12.026 on Nov. 21, 2011, No. 230, § 37.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 1 - Housing cooperation—Short title

Sections 1—7 of this title may be referred to as the “Housing Cooperation Law”.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 125, p. 250, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 2 - Housing cooperation—Declaration of public use and purpose

It has been found and declared in §§ 31—55 of this title that there exist in Puerto Rico unsafe and insanitary housing conditions and a shortage of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low income; that these conditions necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety, fire and accident protection, and other public services and facilities; and that the public interest requires the remedying of these conditions. It is hereby found and declared that the assistance herein provided for the remedying of the conditions set forth in §§ 31—55 of this title constitutes a public use and purpose and an essential governmental function for which public moneys may be spent, and other aid given; that it is a proper public purpose for any governmental body to aid any housing authority operating within its boundaries or jurisdiction or any housing project located therein, as the governmental body derives immediate benefits and advantages from such an authority or project; and that the provisions hereinafter enacted are necessary in the public interest.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 125, p. 250, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 3 - Housing cooperation—Definitions

The following terms, whenever used or referred to in §§ 1—7 of this title shall have the following respective meanings, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
(a) Housing authority. — Shall mean any housing authority created pursuant to §§ 31—55 of this title.
(b) Housing project. — Shall mean any work or undertaking of a housing authority pursuant to §§ 31—55 of this title or any other similar work or undertaking of the federal government.
(c) Governmental body. — Shall mean the government of Puerto Rico, any agency or instrumentality thereof or any municipality including the Capital.
(d) Federal government. — Shall include the United States of America, the Public Housing Administration of the United States, or any other agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States of America.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 125, p. 250, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 5 - Housing cooperation—Payment in lieu of taxes

In order to fulfill the purposes of § 53 of this title, governmental entities are hereby authorized to enter into agreements with any housing authority, or with the federal government, with regard to any housing project located in whole or in part in the area over which the governmental entity exercises authority.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 125, p. 250, § 5; June 23, 1956, No. 89, p. 582.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 6 - Housing cooperation—Loans by municipalities

Any municipality located in whole or in part within the area of operation of a housing authority shall have the power from time to time to lend or donate money to such authority or to agree to take such action. Such housing authority, when it has money available therefor, shall make reimbursements for all such loans made to it.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 125, p. 250, § 6; May 31, 1939, No. 11, p. 32, § 1; May 8, 1945, No. 132, p. 440, § 1, eff. July 1, 1945.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 7 - Housing cooperation—Supplemental powers

The powers conferred by §§ 1—7 of this title shall be in addition and supplemented to the powers conferred by any other law.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 125, p. 250, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 8 - Low cost house plans

Every poor person who wishes to build a house at a cost of around $ 200, $ 300, or $ 500, or less, may request the Secretary of Health, accompanying his request by a fifty-cent stamp of the College of Engineers and Surveyors, to furnish him, free of all cost and duly approved, a plan for the building in which he is interested.
History —May 6, 1939, No. 133, p. 666, § 1; May 13, 1954, No. 27, p. 176, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 9 - Model house plans by Secretary of Health

The Secretary of Health shall prepare model plans for the various types of houses, as provided in § 8 of this title.
History —May 6, 1939, No. 133, p. 666, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 10 - Housing Research Board—Creation

There is hereby created a Board composed of seven (7) members which shall be known as “Housing Research Board”, hereinafter designated as “the Board”.
History —Sept. 28, 1954, No. 2, p. 30, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 11 - Housing Research Board—Functions of Board

The Board shall initiate and carry out surveys, researches, experiments, tests and demonstrations of a financial, technical and social character, and shall, by means of an annual report and other reports, place the results thereof at the disposal of public and private agencies, for their use. In conducting its activities, the Board shall pay special attention to the low-cost housing problem.
History —Sept. 28, 1954, No. 2, p. 30, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 12 - Housing Research Board—Organization of Board

(a) The Governor shall appoint the seven (7) members of the Board and shall designate its chairman. The members of the Board shall serve without compensation. The term of office of each member shall be four (4) years, except that for the first appointment four (4) members shall be appointed for two (2) years; succeeding appointments shall be for four (4) years; and until their successors shall have been appointed.
(b) The Board shall appoint a Director whose office shall be included in the exempt service. The Director shall execute the resolutions of the Board and shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Board, the additional personnel required for the performance of the functions assigned to him.
History —Sept. 28, 1954, No. 2, p. 30, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 13 - Housing Research Board—Resources of Board

(a) For meeting the necessary operating expenses of the Board, there is hereby created the Puerto Rico Housing Research Board Fund, into which shall be covered all unexpended funds, items and balances of the appropriations of the Model Housing Board, and such annual appropriations as are made to the Board.
(b) All property, funds and records of the Model Housing Board shall be transferred to the Board to be used and applied in connection with its functions. The Board may make arrangements with the Puerto Rico Housing Authority and other government dependencies to contract for the use of suitable office quarters and the necessary administrative services, for the administration and maintenance of the property of the Model Housing Board hereby transferred to the Board, and for disposing of said property. The proceeds from such property as is disposed of shall be covered into the fund hereby created.
(c) [Repealed.]
(d) The Board shall assume all obligations contracted by the Puerto Rico Model Housing Board up to the effective date of this act. All acts done and obligations contracted by the Model Housing Board from July 1, 1954 until the Board created hereby starts operations, are hereby expressly legalized and validated.
History —Sept. 28, 1954, No. 2, p. 30, § 4; May 16, 1957, No. 8, p. 29.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 1 - Cooperation and Encouragement of Housing Activities (§§ 1 — 14) › § 14 - Housing Research Board—Power to condemn

The Board shall have the right to acquire, through eminent domain proceedings, any real property or easements of any kind therein deemed by it necessary for the purposes of §§ 10—14 of this title, after adopting a resolution declaring that the acquisition of the real property or easements therein described are necessary for such purposes; Provided, That said real property and easements are hereby declared of public utility and necessity. The Board may exercise the right of eminent domain pursuant to the provisions of §§ 2901—2913 of Title 32, and laws amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto. The Board is also empowered to request of the Governor of Puerto Rico the bringing of eminent domain proceedings in behalf of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the intervention of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in condemnation proceedings already brought in relation to property or easements necessary for its purposes, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, represented by the Governor of Puerto Rico, is hereby authorized to bring or intervene in such proceedings.
History —Sept. 28, 1954, No. 2, p. 30, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 26 - Repealed

History —June 22, 1971, No. 56, p. 185, §§ 1, 2, eff. July 1, 1971; Repealed. Act.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27aa - Liquidation of assets of Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation

The Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation Accounts Liquidation Office is hereby dissolved and the transfer of all its assets to the Department of Housing is hereby directed, effective June 30, 1998. With regard to the disposal of the real and personal property thus transferred, the Secretary of the Department of Housing is hereby conferred all the rights and powers granted to the Special Receiver pursuant to §§ 27 et seq. of this title; Provided, That a Board or Ratifying Committee shall not be constituted for these transactions.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27bb - Liquidation and transfer to Department of Housing

The Registrars of the Property Registry are hereby directed to recognize as transferred all the real properties belonging to the Office or the extinct Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation of Puerto Rico, to the Department of Housing and its attached agencies.
All real property that on the effective date of this act appears registered in the Property Registry in the name of the Office or the extinct Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation of Puerto Rico, shall be registered in the name of the Department of Housing, present holder of said property, or its attached agencies. The application for the registration of said property shall be completed by presenting a certificate in the Property Registry. This certificate shall consist of the registered description of the property, the text of the registration of the property, a statement of the present registered titleholder of the property, application for its registration in the name of the Department of Housing or its attached agencies, and the value of the transaction. The certificate shall be signed by the Secretary of Housing or the official authorized by him/her. Except as provided in §§ 27aa—27jj of this title, it shall not be necessary to perform any other transaction or present any deed or public document whatsoever in the Puerto Rico Property Registry for the recognition and registration of the assets in the name of the Department of Housing and its attached agencies.
The above registration shall be exempted from the payment of any type of fees prescribed for the registration of documents and other operations in the Property Registry.
Those cases pending adjudication before the courts of justice of Puerto Rico shall be excluded from the provisions of this section.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 2; May 21, 1999, No. 121, § 1, retroactive to June 30, 1998.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27cc - Transfer of cash

The cash maintained by the Office in its bank accounts, after liquidating the payments to the employees to June 30, 1998, as well as the total product of the assets assumed to said date and that of the CRUV mortgages, shall be transferred to the Department of Housing for the development of affordable housing after the operating and administrative costs, among others, have been deducted.
The Secretary of the Department of Housing shall create and maintain an Independent Special Fund for such a purpose.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 3; Aug. 16, 2001, No. 106, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27dd - Dissolve of Office

The Office shall be dissolved as of June 30, 1998, without the need for any other measure nor the granting of a deed or any other additional document. The documents, assets and liabilities held by the Office on the effective date of this act shall be transferred as provided in §§ 27aa et seq. of this title, being it clearly established hereby that the Department of Housing shall not be liable for any claim other than those inherited from the Office. All the defenses of the Office pursuant to §§ 27 et seq. of this title, as amended, may be raised by said Department in the case of any claim regarding the operations or properties of the extinct CRUV.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27ee - Transition Committee

For the purpose of the transfer provided herein, the constitution of a Transition Committee is hereby directed, which shall be composed of the Special Receiver and those person he/she may appoint, if deemed necessary, as well as by the personnel of the Department of Housing designated by the Secretary of Housing.
The Transition Committee shall have the task of organizing, promptly and effectively, the total transfer of the assets of the Office, as well as its equipment, files, records and any other property or documents. It shall also deliver to the Secretary of Housing a complete inventory of its assets, liabilities and suits pending before the courts of the country. Said transition period shall conclude June 30, 1998.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27ff - Report of Special Receiver

The Special Receiver shall submit to the Governor, to each Body of the Legislature, and to the Department of Housing, a special report containing all measures, transactions, business, financial activity of whatever nature; including inventories of the properties with the current status thereof and all descriptive and fiscal information needed for the effective closing of the Office, as provided in § 27r of this title.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27gg - Support of the Department of Justice

Pursuant to § 27k of this title, the Department of Justice is hereby directed to offer the needed support, by petition of the Secretary of Housing, in the cases or litigation pending against the extinct CRUV or the Office. The Department of Housing shall have the same rights and powers, except the capacity to sue and be sued, and may resort to the same defenses used by the Office in case of any litigation or claim related to the transferred assets and shall pay any adverse judgment chargeable to the Special Independent Fund or to the General Fund, upon prior authorization of the Office of the Management and Budget.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27hh - Recruiting of indispensable employees

The Secretary of the Department of Housing is hereby authorized to modify and create those regular positions he deems are needed to adequately deal with the responsibilities delegated by this chapter, using the classification and retribution plans of the Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation Accounts Liquidation Office, as authorized to the Department of Housing by the Labor Advice and Human Resources Central Office.
The Secretary of the Department of Housing is also empowered to fix the salary or remuneration of said positions exercising his discretion between the minimum and the maximum of the compensation scale to which said positions are assigned.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 8; Jan. 19, 2000, No. 36, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27ii - Creation of a special registry

The Central Personnel Administration Office is hereby directed to create a special registry of preference, by classification, of the employees affected by the closing of the Office, who held permanent positions at the time it was dissolved.
Said registry shall be circulated among the departments, agencies, instrumentalities, public corporations and municipalities of the Government of Puerto Rico, so that said employees may be placed in vacant permanent positions that existed or may arise in equal or similar classification to those they previously held, with preference, without being subject to that established in subsection 9 of Section 4.3 of Act October 14, 1975, No. 5, known as the “Puerto Rico Public Service Personnel Act”, or any other law or regulation that establishes competitive selection processes.
In order to enforce the right to preference granted herein, the Governor shall appoint a Relocation Coordinator, attached to the Central Personnel Administration Office. The Relocation Coordinator, with the approval of the Governor, shall establish the norms for referral and selection of the candidates to the different government bodies, in a term not to exceed six (6) months.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2 - Urban Renewal and Housing (§§ 21 — 27jj) › § 27jj - Accreditation of time worked to Retirement System

The Administrator of the Retirement Systems of the Government of Puerto Rico is hereby authorized to credit to the regular employees of the Office, the period of time they worked at the Office to the public retirement systems, provided the employee concerned pays to the Retirement System for the period of time to be credited the part corresponding to the individual and employer’s contribution, plus the interest determined by the System from the date the services were rendered until the date of completion thereof.
History —June 30, 1998, No. 106, § 10.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2A - Minimal Urbanization Projects; Transfer (§§ 28 — 28d) › § 28 - Minimal urbanization projects; transfer

The Office of the Trustee for the Liquidation of the Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation is hereby ordered to transfer to the Housing Development and Improvements Administration all Minimal Urbanization (UM, Spanish acronym) projects, so that the latter may grant title deeds according to the requirements, legal criteria and/or programs which created each particular project.
History —Aug. 3, 1995, No. 106, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2A - Minimal Urbanization Projects; Transfer (§§ 28 — 28d) › § 28a - Public areas and utilities

When-title deed has been granted to all of the project’s residents, all areas and utilities destined for public use such as parks, recreational facilities, streets, sidewalks and pluvial and electrical energy systems, if not previously transferred to some agency, department, office or public corporation of the Government of Puerto Rico, shall be transferred to the municipality where the project is located, it consent to it.
History —Aug. 3, 1995, No. 106, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2A - Minimal Urbanization Projects; Transfer (§§ 28 — 28d) › § 28b - Remaining lots not constituted

The remaining lots not constituted as such, shall remain under the authority of the Office of the Trustee for the Liquidation of the Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation.
History —Aug. 3, 1995, No. 106, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2A - Minimal Urbanization Projects; Transfer (§§ 28 — 28d) › § 28c - Lots constituted, vacant dwellings, etc

Those projects containing lots constituted as such or vacant dwellings, lots awarded but abandoned, and residents who do not possess a title deed, shall be transferred to the Housing Development and Improvements Administration so that the latter may proceed according to the provisions of this chapter.
History —Aug. 3, 1995, No. 106, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 2A - Minimal Urbanization Projects; Transfer (§§ 28 — 28d) › § 28d - Revenue obtained from the disposition of projects

Any revenue obtained from the disposition of the minimal urbanization projects shall be distributed as follows:
(a) Seventy percent (70%) to the Office of the Trustee for the Liquidation of the Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation.
(b) Thirty percent (30%) to the Housing Development and Improvements Administration.
History —Aug. 3, 1995, No. 106, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 31 - Housing Authorities law—Short title

Sections 31—38, 39—45, 46—55 of this title may be referred to as the “Housing Authorities Law”.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 32 - Housing Authorities law—Declaration of public necessity

It is hereby declared:
(a) That there exist in Puerto Rico insanitary or unsafe dwelling accommodations and that persons of low income are forced to reside in such insanitary or unsafe accommodations; that within Puerto Rico there is a shortage of safe or sanitary dwelling accommodations available at rents which persons of low income can afford and that such persons are forced to occupy overcrowded and congested dwelling accommodations; that the aforesaid conditions cause an increase in and spread of disease and crime and constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of Puerto Rico and impair economic values; that these conditions necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety, fire and accident protection, and other public services and facilities.
(b) That these areas in Puerto Rico cannot be cleared, nor can the shortage of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons of low income be relieved through the operation of private enterprise, and that the construction of housing projects for persons of low income, as herein defined, would therefore not be competitive with private enterprise.
(c) That the clearance, replanning and reconstruction of the areas in which insanitary or unsafe housing conditions exist and the providing of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low income are public uses and of public utility and constitute purposes for which public money may be spent and private property acquired and are governmental functions of grave concern to Puerto Rico.
(d) That it is in the public interest that work on projects for such purposes be commenced as soon as possible in order to relieve unemployment which now constitutes an emergency; and the necessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinafter enacted, is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 34 - Housing Authorities law—Creation of Puerto Rico Housing Authority; Municipal Housing Authority

There is hereby created a public body corporate and politic to be known as the Puerto Rico Housing Authority. There is also hereby created in each municipality of Puerto Rico a public body corporate and politic to be known as the “Municipal Housing Authority”; Provided, however, That a housing authority of a municipality shall not transact any business or exercise its powers hereunder until or unless the governing body of the municipality by proper resolution shall declare at any time hereafter that there is need for an authority to function in such municipality, and until said resolution has been approved by the Governor of Puerto Rico. The determination as to whether or not there is such need for an authority to function may by made by the governing body (a) on its own motion or (b) upon the filing of a petition signed by twenty-five (25) residents of the municipality asserting that there is need for an authority to function in such municipality and requesting that the governing body so declare.
The governing body shall adopt a resolution declaring that there is need for a housing authority in the municipality if it shall find (a) that insanitary or unsafe inhabited dwelling accommodations exist in such municipality or (b) that there is a shortage of safe or sanitary dwelling accommodations in such municipality available to persons of low income at rentals they can afford. In determining whether dwelling accommodations are unsafe or insanitary said governing body may take into consideration the degree of overcrowding, the percentage of land coverage, the light, air, space and access available to the inhabitants of such dwelling accommodations, the size and arrangement of the rooms, the sanitary facilities, and the extent to which conditions exist in such buildings which endanger life or property by fire or other causes.
In any suit, action or proceeding involving the validity or enforcement of or relating to any contract of such authority, it shall be conclusively deemed to have become established and authorized to transact business and exercise its powers hereunder upon proof of the adoption of a resolution by the governing body declaring the need for the authority. Such resolution or resolutions shall be deemed sufficient if it declares that there is such need for an authority and finds in substantially the foregoing terms, no further detail being necessary, that either or both of the above enumerated conditions exist in the municipality. A copy of such resolution duly certified by the secretary shall be admissible in evidence in any suit, action or proceeding.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 36 - Housing Authorities law—Adverse interest of officials and employees

No commissioner or employee of an authority shall acquire any interest direct or indirect in any housing project or in any property included or planned to be included in any project, nor shall he have any interest direct or indirect in any contract or proposed contract for materials or services to be furnished or used in connection with any housing project. If any commissioner or employee of an authority owns or controls an interest direct or indirect in any property included or planned to be included in any housing project, he immediately shall disclose the same in writing to the authority and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the authority. Failure so to disclose such interest shall constitute misconduct in office. Upon such disclosure such commissioner or employee shall not participate in any action by the authority affecting such property.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 37 - Housing Authorities law—Removal of commissioner

For inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, a commissioner of an authority may be removed by the Governor of Puerto Rico, or in the case of an authority for a municipality, by the mayor of said municipality, but a commissioner shall be removed only after he shall have been given a copy of the charges at least 10 days prior to the hearing thereon and had an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel. In the event of the removal of any commissioner, a record of the proceedings, together with the charges and findings thereon, shall be filed in the office where the appointment of such commissioner shall have been filed.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 38a - Housing Authorities law—Loans to cover expenses of securing federal financing

The Puerto Rico Housing Authority and the Housing Authorities of the Capital, Mayaguez and Ponce are hereby empowered to advance to families eligible for loans secured by the Federal Housing Administration under §§ 220 and 221 of the Federal Housing Act, or for acquiring and financing dwellings by virtue of any government mutual or self-aid house construction program, the amount for the preliminary or procedure expenses required for said loan; Provided, That said advances shall be made as a loan to be paid in a term of ten (10) years and shall be subject to any other condition that the Authority may consider reasonable.
History —May 16, 1958, No. 17, p. 20.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 39 - Housing Authorities law—Rural housing

The housing authorities which have rural areas under their jurisdiction may undertake the provision of housing for families of low income in such rural areas, and may comply with any conditions, not inconsistent with the purposes of §§ 31—38, 39—45, 46—55 of this title, required by the federal government pursuant to federal law in any contract for financial assistance with any of the authorities concerning such undertakings.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, added as § 8(A) on Apr. 15, 1941, No. 38, p. 572, § 2; May 15, 1951, No. 441, p. 1276, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 40 - Housing Authorities law—Efficient management to produce low rentals

It is hereby declared to be the policy of Puerto Rico that each authority shall manage and operate its housing projects in an efficient manner so as to enable it to fix the rentals for dwelling accommodations at the lowest possible rates consistent with its providing decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations, and that no authority shall construct or operate any such project for profit, or as a source of revenue to the Government of Puerto Rico or the municipality. To this end an authority shall fix the rentals for dwellings in its projects at no higher rates than it shall find to be necessary in order to produce revenues which, together with all other available moneys, revenues, income and receipts of the authority from whatever sources derived, will be sufficient:
(a) To pay, as the same become due, the principal and interest on the bonds of the authority;
(b) to meet the cost of, and to provide for, maintaining and operating the projects, including the cost of any insurance, and the administrative expenses of the authority, and
(c) to create, during not less than the six years immediately succeeding its issuance of any bonds, a reserve sufficient to meet the largest principal and interest payments which will be due on such bonds in any one year thereafter and to maintain such reserve.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 9.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 41 - Housing Authorities law—Rentals and tenant selections

In the operation or management of housing projects the Urban Renewal and Housing Corporation of Puerto Rico shall at all times comply with the following duties with respect to rentals and tenant selection:
(a) It may rent or lease its dwelling accommodations only to persons of low income and at rentals within the financial reach of such persons of low income.
(b) It may rent or lease to a tenant a dwelling with a number of rooms not exceeding the number deemed by it necessary to provide safe and sanitary housing accommodations to the would-be occupants thereof, without overcrowding.
(c) The maximum limits of income for admission or continuous occupancy as well as the lease rental shall be fixed by the Corporation, taking into account:
(1) The number of members of the family, condition, age, physical impediments and such other factors as may be pertinent to the capacity of said family to pay the lease rental.
(2) Such economic factors as may be relevant to the economic stability and solvency of the project.
Nothing contained in this or the preceding section shall be construed as limiting the power of an authority to vest in an obligee the right, in the event of nonperformance by the Corporation, to take possession of a housing project or cause a receiver to be appointed therefor, free from all the restrictions imposed by this or the preceding section.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 10; Apr. 26, 1950, No. 125, p. 326, § 1; June 23, 1958, No. 74, p. 167; May 24, 1960, No. 7, p. 16.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 42 - Housing Authorities law—Cooperation among authorities

Any two or more authorities may join or cooperate with one another in the exercise of any or all of the powers conferred hereby for the purpose of financing, planning, undertaking, constructing or operating a housing project or projects located within the area of operation of any one or more of said authorities.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 11.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 43 - Housing Authorities law—Power of eminent domain; condemnation

Any authority shall have the right to acquire by the exercise of the power of eminent domain any real property or easement of any kind on same which it may deem necessary for its purposes under §§ 31—38, 39—45, 46—55 of this title after the adoption by it of a resolution declaring that the acquisition of the real property and/or easement on same described therein is necessary for such purposes; Provided, That the said real property and easements are hereby declared of public utility and necessity. Any authority may exercise the power of eminent domain pursuant to the provisions of an Act entitled “An Act to provide for the condemnation of private property for the purposes and under the conditions therein named”, approved March 12, 1903, §§ 2901—2913 of Title 32, and acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto; or it may avail itself of the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by any other applicable statutory provisions for such condemnations. The authorities are hereby further empowered to request from the Governor of Puerto Rico the prosecution of eminent domain proceedings in behalf of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the intervention of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in eminent domain proceedings already filed by any authority in connection with properties or rights necessary for their purposes, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, represented by the Governor of Puerto Rico, is hereby authorized to prosecute or intervene in such proceedings. Hereafter no housing authority may obtain the title or possession of property condemned in accordance with § 2907 of Title 32, unless the eminent domain proceedings are filed by the Governor of Puerto Rico in behalf of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or that the Governor, in behalf of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico intervenes in the proceedings already filed by the proper authority, in accordance with the powers conferred upon him by this section. Property already devoted to a public use may be acquired in like manner, but no real property belonging to a municipality, the Government of Puerto Rico, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, may be acquired without the consent thereof.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 12; Apr. 26, 1941, No. 41, p. 582, § 1; May 9, 1950, No. 258, p. 672, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 44 - Housing Authorities law—Housing projects subject to local laws

All housing projects of an authority shall be subject to the planning, zoning, sanitary and building laws, ordinances and regulations applicable to the locality in which the housing project is situated. In the planning and location of any housing project, an authority shall take into consideration the relationship of the project to any larger plan or long range program for the development of the area in which the housing authority functions.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 13.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE SEVENTEEN - Housing (§§ 1 — 1546) › Chapter 3 - Housing Authorities (§§ 31 — 77) › § 45 - Housing Authorities law—Bonds; type authorized; not public indebtedness

An authority shall have power to issue bonds from time to time in its discretion, for any of its corporate purposes. An authority shall also have power to issue refunding bonds for the purpose of paying or retiring bonds previously issued by it. An authority may issue such types of bonds as it may determine, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, bonds, on which the principal and interest are payable:
(a) Exclusively from the income and revenues of the housing project financed with the proceeds of such bonds;
(b) exclusively from the income and revenues of certain designated housing projects whether or not they are financed in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds, or
(c) from its revenues generally. Any such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any grant or contributions from the federal government or other source, or a pledge of any income or revenues of the authority, or a mortgage of any housing project, projects or other property of the authority.
Neither the commissioners of an authority nor any person executing the bonds shall be liable personally on the bonds by reason of the issuance thereof. The bonds and other obligations of an authority, and such bonds and obligations shall so state on their face, shall not be a debt of the municipality or the Government of Puerto Rico and neither the municipality nor the Government of Puerto Rico shall be liable thereon, nor in any event shall such bonds or obligations be payable out of any funds or properties other than those of said authority. The bonds shall not constitute a public indebtedness of the Government of Puerto Rico or any municipality thereof within the meaning of any limitations on indebtedness imposed by the Legislature of Puerto Rico or by the Congress of the United States. Bonds of an authority are declared to be issued for an essential public and governmental purpose and to be public instruments and, together with interest thereon and income therefrom, shall be exempt from taxes.
History —May 6, 1938, No. 126, p. 253, § 14.