Before any construction contract for a proposed new construction of a specific project or proposed rehabilitation project is entered into by a local Housing Authority in a county having a population of less than 1,000,000, a public hearing must be held by the local Housing Authority affording interested persons residing in the area an opportunity to be heard. There shall be a notice of the time and place of the hearing published at least once, not more than 30 nor less than 15 days before the hearing, in one or more newspapers published in the municipality of the project; where there is no newspaper which is published in the municipality, such notice shall be given in one or more newspapers published in the county in which the municipality is located and having general circulation within such municipality. The notice shall contain the particular site and location to be affected as well as a brief statement of what is proposed in the project.