Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended ( 12 U.S.C. 1701 u) and implementing regulations at 24 C.F.R.135 (Section 3) requires recipients and subrecipients such as the Mississippi State Port Authority to ensure that employment and other economic and business opportunities generated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) financial assistance shall, to the greatest extent feasible, consistent with existing Federal, State and local laws and regulations, are directed to low- and very low- income persons, particularly recipients of government housing assistance, and business concerns that provide economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons. The Mississippi State Port Authority fully embraces the spirit and intent of Section 3 and has set forth policies and procedures in accordance therewith. Such policies are applicable to contractors, subcontractors and others engaged in projects funded through the Mississippi State Port Authority with funds sourced from HUD.
In implementation of these policies and in order to assist in the achievement of the primary objective of connecting low- and very low-income persons with economic opportunities associated with the Port Authority's Section 3 Covered Projects, the Port Authority has created a full-time, dedicated staff position for a Compliance Officer tasked with monitoring and enforcement of the Port Authority's Section 3 policies.
Miss. Code. tit. 28, pt. 309, Section 3 Purpose