(a) In the operation or management of housing projects, an authority shall at all times observe the following duties with respect to rentals and tenant selection: (1) It may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations therein only to persons of low income or elders who are of low income, or both.(2) It may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations therein only at rentals within the financial reach of such persons as indicated of low income.(3) It may rent or lease to a tenant dwelling accommodations consisting of the number of rooms (but no greater number) that it deems necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations to the proposed occupants thereof, without overcrowding.(4) It shall not accept any person as a tenant in any housing project if the person or persons who would occupy the dwelling accommodations have an annual net income in excess of five times the annual rental of the quarters to be furnished such person or persons, except that in the case of families of three or more minor dependents, such ratio shall not exceed six to one; in computing the rental for this purpose of selecting tenants, there shall be included in the rental the average annual cost (as determined by the authority) to the occupants, of heat, water, electricity, gas, cooking range, and other necessary services or facilities, whether or not the charge for such services and facilities is in fact included in the rental.(5) It shall prohibit subletting by tenants.(6) When renting or leasing accessible dwelling accommodations, it shall give priority to tenants with a disability. As used in this subdivision, "accessible" means a dwelling that complies with the requirements for an accessible unit set forth in section 1102 of the 2017 ICC Standard for Accessible and Useable Buildings and Facilities or a similar standard adopted by the Access Board by rule pursuant to 20 V.S.A. § 2901. (b) Nothing contained in this section or section 4009 of this chapter shall be construed as limiting the power of an authority to vest in an obligee the right, in the event of a default by an authority, to take possession of a housing project or cause the appointment of a receiver thereof, or acquire title thereto through foreclosure proceedings, free from all the restrictions imposed by this section or section 4009 of this chapter.(c) The director of any housing authority may obtain from the Vermont Crime Information Center the record of convictions of any person applying for residence in any housing project administered by the housing authority.Amended by 2024, No. 181,§ 92, eff. 6/17/2024.Added 1961, No. 212, § 10, eff. 7/11/1961; amended 1995, No. 51 , § 3; 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 160.