State grants-in-aid for developing and updating municipal plans of development; contracts for may be entered into by Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Advances of funds and contracts by Commissioner of Housing for surveys, planning and research.

(b) The Commissioner of Housing may in his discretion make advances of funds to any municipality, housing authority or human resource development agency as defined in section 17b-852 for up to seventy-five per cent of the costs, as approved by the commissioner, of surveys and planning in preparation of any project, program or activity for which state financial assistance is provided under this chapter and sections 8-44a , 8-154a and 47a-56j and the contracts for such advances of funds shall require that such advances shall be credited against any subsequent grants-in-aid of such project, program or activity, or shall be repaid to the state if funds for the purposes of this subsection are received from a source other than the state. (c) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Housing, may enter into a contract with a housing authority or two or more housing authorities acting jointly for technical assistance and financial assistance in the form of a state grant-in-aid not to exceed two-thirds of the cost of conducting housing surveys and research as approved by the commissioner and as authorized in chapter 128. See chapter 50 re Office of Policy and Management. See Sec. 8-226 re use of prior bond proceeds for purposes of this section.