Housing authorities in counties.

(1) In each county of the state there is hereby created a public body corporate and politic to be known as the “housing authority” of the county; provided, however, that such housing authority shall not transact any business or exercise its powers hereunder until or unless the governing body of such county, by proper resolution shall declare at any time hereafter that there is need for a housing authority to function in and for such county, which declaration shall be made by such governing body for such county in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the declaration of the governing body of a city required by s. 421.04 for the purpose of authorizing a housing authority created for a city to transact business and exercise its powers, except that the petition referred to in said s. 421.04 shall be signed by 25 residents of such county.

(2) Upon notification of the adoption of such resolution the commissioners of a housing authority created for a county, who shall be qualified electors of such county, shall be appointed by the Governor in the same manner as the commissioners of a housing authority created for a city may be appointed by the mayor; and except as otherwise provided herein, each housing authority created for a county and the commissioners thereof, within the area of operation of such housing authority as hereinafter defined, shall have the same functions, rights, powers, duties, immunities and privileges provided for housing authorities created for cities and the commissioners of such housing authorities, in the same manner as though all the provisions of law applicable to housing authorities created for cities were applicable to housing authorities created for counties; provided, that for such purposes the term “mayor” as used in the Housing Authorities Law shall be construed as meaning “Governor,” the term “governing body” as used therein shall be construed as meaning “county commissioners,” the term “city” as used therein shall be construed as meaning “county,” and the term “clerk” as used therein shall be construed as meaning “county clerk,” as herein defined, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context; and provided further that the Governor may appoint any persons as commissioners of a housing authority created for a county who are qualified electors in such county; and provided further that such commissioners may be removed or suspended in the same manner and for the same reasons as other officers appointed by the Governor.

(3) The area of operation of a housing authority created for a county shall include all of the county for which it is created except that portion of the county which lies within the territorial boundaries of any city as defined in the Housing Authorities Law, as amended.