12-5220.   Legislative findings; declaration of necessity.It is hereby found and declared that there exists within the state of Kansasa serious shortage of decent, safe and sanitary housing which persons andfamilies of low and moderate income can afford. It is hereby further declared that:

      (a)   Such shortage is injurious to the safety, health and welfare of thecitizens and residents of this state;

      (b)   the cost of financing such additional housing is a major and substantialfactor affecting the supply and availability of decent, safe and sanitaryhousing within the financial means of persons and families of low and moderate income;

      (c)   the shortage of such housing is not transitory and self-curing andthe resources of private enterprise are not adequate to provide necessaryadditional decent, safe and sanitary housing which will be within the financialresources of persons and families of low and moderate income;

      (d)   the construction of additional residential housing is closely correlatedwith general economic activity and the availability of residential housingwhich persons of low and moderate income can afford will assist materially in promotingand maintaining full employment and promoting the economic development ofthe state of Kansas and of cities and counties within the state;

      (e)   it is necessary and in the best interests of the state and of thecities and counties in the state: (1) To provide for and promote the publichealth, safety and welfare; (2) to encourage the expansion of industrialand commercial activities and the economic development of the state's citiesand counties; and (3) to assist persons and families of low and moderate incomein acquiring, owning and occupying decent, safe and sanitary housing whichthey can afford;

      (f)   an adequate supply of decent, safe and sanitary residential housingis essential to the promotion of increased productivity of the residentsof the cities and counties of the state, for retaining existing industryand commercial activities near or within the cities and counties in thestate, and for attracting additional industry and commercial activitiesto the cities and counties in the state, thereby enhancing the economicdevelopment of the state;

      (g)   in order to remedy the existing shortage of residential housing withinthe financial means of persons and families of low and moderate income andto realize the social, economic and other benefits which will result therefrom,it is necessary and desirable to provide for the implementation of publicprograms designed to provide alternative meansof financing the acquisition, rehabilitation, improvement and purchase ofsafe, decent and sanitary housing by personsand families of low and moderate income;

      (h)   it is necessary and desirable that the state's cities and countiesbe authorized to issue revenue bonds to provide funds necessary, in wholeor in part, to reduce the costs of financing the acquisition, rehabilitation,improvement and purchase of safe, decent and sanitary housing by personsand families of low and moderate income;

      (i)   the implementation of such programs and the issuance of revenue bondspursuant to this act are in the public interest and constitute essentialgovernmental functions of cities and counties of the state.

      History:   L. 1982, ch. 60, § 2; L. 1983, ch. 71, § 1; May 5.