(a) The department shall perform the duties, responsibilities, and functions and may exercise the power and authority described in this Code section. The department shall undertake and carry out such planning and technical assistance activities as the board or the commissioner may deem necessary for performing local government services and as may be specified by law. Such planning and technical assistance activities may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

(1) The department may provide technical assistance to local governments. This assistance may be directed to any and all activities of local government including, but not limited to, preparation and implementation of a comprehensive plan, community and economic development, and governmental administration, finance, management, and operations;

(2) The department may provide planning assistance to local governments. This assistance may include assistance with respect to preparation or implementation of a local government's comprehensive plan and participation in the process for coordinated and comprehensive planning. This assistance may also include long-range planning relevant to one or more local governments to identify the needs of such local governments or planning with respect to downtown development and the redevelopment and revitalization of downtown areas and central business districts;

(3) The department may assist local governments in planning for the consequences or other results of decisions or actions by any government which have an impact on local governments or on any of their citizens;

(4) The department may provide planning assistance to any local government or any state agency or state authority in connection with housing and dwelling places for citizens of the state. This assistance may include planning with respect to the availability of single-family, multifamily, and other types of housing units, the anticipated changes in such availability, the potential occupants for such housing, and the anticipated changes in such potential occupants. This assistance may also include planning with respect to homeless persons and the shelter needs of homeless persons; and

(5) The department's planning and technical assistance activities may include planning, technical assistance, analysis, recommendations for policies or action, and related activities and services with respect to any lawful purpose or activity of a local government.

(b) The department shall undertake and carry out, and shall coordinate with other state agencies and local governments in undertaking and carrying out, such gathering of information, such distribution of information, and such studies and recommendations as the board or the commissioner may deem necessary for performing local government services and as may be specified by law. Such coordinating, gathering, and distribution of information and studies may include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (1) The department shall coordinate and participate in compiling, and other state agencies and local governments shall participate in compiling, a Georgia data base and network to serve as a comprehensive source of information available, in an accessible form, to local governments and state agencies. The Georgia data base and network shall collect, analyze, and disseminate information with respect to local governments, regional development centers, and state agencies. The Georgia data base and network shall include information obtained or available from other governments and information developed by the department. To maintain the Georgia data base and network, the department shall make, and shall coordinate with other state agencies and local governments in making, comprehensive studies, investigations, and surveys of the physical, social, economic, governmental, demographic, and other conditions of the state and of local governments and of such other aspects of the state as may be necessary to serve the purposes of the department. The department shall make available the Georgia data base and network, or provide access to the Georgia data base and network, to other state agencies, local governments, members of the General Assembly, and residents of the state;

(2) The department shall maintain a strategic rural economic development plan in cooperation with the regional development centers, the university system of the state, other state agencies and departments, and local governments. The plan shall include, without being limited to, identifying industries for which the rural areas of the state have a comparative advantage, exploring resources for venture capital for the rural areas of the state, and providing state financial assistance to support local initiatives for rural economic development in rural areas;

(3) The department may assist the Governor, the General Assembly, any committees of the General Assembly, any state department, any state agency, any state authority, or any local government with studies, surveys, investigations, maps, reports, plans, recommendations, advice, and information prepared, developed, or obtained by the department;

(4) The department may undertake studies, investigations, and surveys to identify potential physical, social, economic, governmental, demographic, or other problems and opportunities in the urban, suburban, and rural areas of the state and to assist local governments in preparing to avoid the consequences of such problems or to take advantage of such opportunities; and

(5) The department may write, draft, prepare, or publish any studies, surveys, investigations, maps, reports, plans, recommendations, advice, and information with respect to local government affairs. The department may distribute or otherwise disseminate any such studies, surveys, investigations, maps, reports, plans, recommendations, advice, and information to any government, any state authority or state agency, or any private entity.

(c) The duties, responsibilities, and functions of the department and the power and authority of the department described in this Code section are cumulative with, and in addition to, all other duties, responsibilities, and functions and power and authority of the department and are not intended to, and shall not be construed to, conflict with any other duties, responsibilities, or functions or any other power or authority of the department, including, but not limited to, the duties, responsibilities, and functions and the power and authority described in Code Section 50-8-7.1.