(a) In connection with any housing project located within the area in which it is authorized to act, any state public body may contract with a housing authority or the federal government with respect to the sums, if any, which the housing authority or federal government may agree to pay, during any year or period of years, to the state public body for the improvements, services, and facilities to be furnished by it for the benefit of the project. However, in no event shall the amount of the payments exceed the estimated cost to the state public body of the improvements, services, or facilities to be furnished.
(b) The absence of a contract for the payments shall in no way relieve any state public body from the duty to furnish, for the benefit of the project, customary improvements and such services and facilities as the state public body furnishes customarily without a service fee.