A housing authority may exercise any or all of its powers, and may do any and all other things necessary or desirable to cooperate with or secure the financial aid of the federal government in the expeditious development or in the administration of projects to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities and to house servicemen and returning veterans and their families, to act as agent or lessee for the federal government in the development or administration of those projects by the federal government, and to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.