310 ILCS 10/9
Whenever it shall be deemed necessary by an Authority in connection with the exercise of its powers herein conferred to take or acquire the fee of any real property in the area of operation or any interest therein or right with respect thereto, such Authority may acquire the same directly or through its agent or agents from the owner or owners thereof or may acquire the same by the exercise of eminent domain in the manner provided by the Eminent Domain Act.
If any of such property is devoted to a public use it may nevertheless be acquired, provided that no property belonging to a government may be acquired without its consent and that no property belonging to a corporation subject to the jurisdiction of the Illinois Commerce Commission may be acquired without the approval of the Illinois Commerce Commission.
The power of eminent domain shall apply not only to improved or unimproved property which may be acquired for or as an incident to the development or operation of a project or projects, but also to: (a) any improved or unimproved property the acquisition of which is necessary or appropriate for the rehabilitation or redevelopment of any blighted or slum area, or (b) any improved or unimproved property which the Authority may require to carry out the provisions of this Act. Such power may be exercised by the Housing Authority on its own initiative or as an agent of the city, village, incorporated town, county or counties, or any government, or for the purpose of sale or lease to: (a) a housing corporation operating under "An Act in relation to housing", approved July 12, 1933, as amended; (b) neighborhood redevelopment corporations operating under the "Neighborhood Redevelopment Corporation Law", approved July 9, 1941, as amended; (c) insurance companies operating under Section 125a of the "Illinois Insurance Code", approved June 29, 1937, as amended; (d) non-profit corporations organized for the purpose of constructing, managing and operating housing projects and for the improvement of housing conditions, including the rental or sale of housing units to persons in need thereof; or to any other individual, association or corporation desiring to engage in a development or redevelopment project. No sale or lease shall be made hereunder to any of the aforesaid corporations, associations or individuals unless a plan has been approved by the Authority and the Department for the development or redevelopment of such property and unless the purchaser or lessee furnishes the Authority a bond, with satisfactory sureties, in an amount not less than 10% of the cost of such development or redevelopment, conditioned on the completion of such development or redevelopment in accordance with the approved plan; provided that the requirement of the bond may be waived by the Department if it is satisfied of the financial ability of the purchaser or lessee to complete such development or redevelopment in accordance with the approved plan. To further assure that the real property so sold or leased shall be used in accordance with the plan, the Department may require the purchaser or lessee to execute in writing such undertakings as the Department deems necessary to obligate such purchaser or lessee (1) to use the property for the purposes presented in plans; (2) to commence and complete the building of the improvements designated in the plan within the periods of time that the Department fixes as reasonable; and (3) to comply with such other conditions as are necessary to carry out the purpose of this Act. Any such property may be sold pursuant to this section for any legal consideration in an amount to be approved by the Department.
If the area of operation of a housing authority includes a city, village or incorporated town having a population in excess of 500,000 as determined by the last preceding Federal census, no real property or interest in real property shall be acquired in such municipality by the housing authority until such time as the housing authority has advised the governing body of such municipality of the description of the real property, or interest therein, proposed to be acquired, and the governing body of the municipality has approved the acquisition thereof by the housing authority.
A "blighted or slum area" means any area of not less, in the aggregate, than one acre, excepting that in any municipality having a population in excess of 500,000, as determined by the last preceding Federal census, a "blighted or slum area" means any area of not less in the aggregate of2 acres which area, in either case, has been designated by municipal ordinance or by the Authority as an integrated project for rehabilitation, development or redevelopment, where (a) buildings or improvements, by reason of dilapidation, obsolescence, overcrowding, faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation, light or sanitary facilities, excessive land coverage, deleterious land use or layout or any combination of these factors, are a detriment to public safety, health or morals, or welfare, or (b) there exists platted land which is predominantly open and which, because of obsolete platting, diversity of ownership, deterioration of structures or of site improvements, or otherwise substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the community and which is to be developed for predominantly residential uses, or (c) there exists open unplatted land necessary for sound community growth which is to be developed for predominantly residential uses, or (d) parcels of land remain undeveloped because of improper platting, delinquent taxes or special assessments, scattered or uncertain ownerships, clouds on title, artificial values due to excessive utility costs, or any other impediment to the use of such area for predominantly residential uses; provided, that if in any city, village or incorporated town there exists a land clearance commission, created under the Blighted Areas Redevelopment Act of 1947 (repealed) prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly , having the same area of operation as a housing authority created in and for any such municipality, such housing authority shall have no power to acquire land of the character described in sub-paragraphs (b), (c) or (d) of the definition of "blighted or slum area", in this paragraph for the purpose of development or redevelopment by private enterprise.
The Housing Authority shall have power to hold or use any such property for uses authorized by this Act, or to sell, lease or exchange such property as is not required for such uses by the Authority. In case of sale or lease to other than a public corporation or public agency, notice shall be given and bids shall be received in the manner provided by Section 11-76-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as amended, and bids may be accepted by vote of three of the five Commissioners of the Authority; provided, however, that such requirement of notice and bidding shall not apply to a sale or lease to any individual, association or corporation described in the preceding paragraph; nor to a sale or lease of an individual dwelling unit in a project, to be used by the purchaser as a dwelling for his family; nor to a sale or lease of a project or part thereof to an association to be so used by its members. In case of exchange of property for property privately owned, three disinterested appraisers shall be appointed to appraise the value of the property to be exchanged, and such exchange shall not be made unless the property to be received by the Authority is equal or greater in value than the property to be exchanged therefor, or if less than such value, that the difference shall be paid in money.
310 ILCS 10/9