§53-7  Urban renewal projects in disaster

areas.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, where the

council of a county certifies that an area within the county is in need of

renewal, redevelopment, or rehabilitation as a result of a seismic wave, flood,

fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm, volcanic activity, explosion, or other

catastrophe, natural or of human origin (herein called "disaster

area") respecting which the governor of the State has certified the need

for disaster assistance under Public Law 875, Eighty-first Congress (64 Stat.

1109), or other federal law, the council of a county may approve an urban

renewal plan and an urban renewal project with respect to the area without

regard to:

     (1)  The provisions of this chapter as follows:  the

definitions of "redevelopment area" and "urban area" in

section 53-1; the proviso of the first sentence of paragraph (4) of section

53-5; the requirements for housing of displaced families, approval of the plan

by planning commission, public hearings and findings required by the county

council prior to the approval of the plan as contained in section 53-6,

provided that the limitation of time in which to contest validity of the

proceedings or of the renewal plan provided in section 53-6 in the case of an

urban renewal project for disaster areas shall be twenty days instead of thirty

days; the exceptions set forth in the second sentence of section 53-20; the

proviso of the second sentence of section 53-21; and

     (2)  Any of the provisions of this chapter requiring

public hearings or requiring that the urban renewal plan conform to the master

plan for the development of the county or locality as a whole, or that the

urban renewal area be a slum area, or a blighted, deteriorated, or

deteriorating area, or that the urban renewal area be predominantly residential

in character or be developed or redeveloped for residential use.

     In the preparation, planning, financing,

acquisition, and disposal of real property, and the execution generally of an

urban renewal project for disaster areas, a redevelopment agency shall have all

of the rights, powers, privileges, and immunities conferred upon the agency by

this chapter including any amendment thereof or addition thereto, or by any

other law, in the same manner as though all provisions of law relating to urban

renewal projects were applicable to the redevelopment and renewal of the

disaster areas as in this section provided, subject to the exceptions

hereinabove set forth. [L Sp 1960, c 5, §1; Supp, §143-7.1; HRS §53-7; am L

1987, c 283, §5; am L 1999, c 18, §1]