N.Y. MHA Law § 64

* § 64. Officers and employees. 1. When the office of the first\nchairman of the authority becomes vacant, the authority shall select a\nchairman from among its members. An authority shall select among its\nmembers a vice-chairman, and it may employ a secretary, who shall be\nexecutive director, technical experts and such other officers, agents\nand employees, permanent and temporary, as it may require, and shall\ndetermine their qualifications, duties and compensation. An authority\nmay call upon the corporation counsel or chief law officer of the\nmunicipality for such legal services as it may require and it shall\nreimburse the municipality for the cost of such services, or it may\nemploy its own counsel and legal staff. The secretary, and any counsel\nand assistant attorneys employed by an authority, shall be in the exempt\nclass of the civil service.\n 2. No member or employee of an authority shall acquire any interest\ndirect or indirect in a project or in any property then or thereafter\nincluded or planned to be included in a project, nor retain any interest\ndirect or indirect in any property acquired subsequently to his\nappointment or employment which is later included or to his knowledge\nplanned to be included in a project, nor shall he have any interest\ndirect or indirect in any contract or proposed contract for materials or\nservices to be furnished or used in connection with any project. If any\nmember or employee of any authority owns or controls an interest direct\nor indirect in any property included in any project, which was acquired\nprior to his appointment or employment, he shall disclose such interest\nand the date of acquisition thereof in writing to the authority and such\ndisclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the authority.\n * NB The text of Article 5 of the former State Housing Law (cited\nherein as the "Municipal Housing Authorities Law"), as such article\nexisted immediately prior to its repeal pursuant to section 227 of\nChapter 808 of the Laws of 1939, is provided here for ease of reference\nand historical purposes as such text continues to be applicable for the\nNew York City Housing Authority pursuant to the provisions of section\n401 of the current Public Housing Law.\n