17-2338.   Legislative findings; declaration of necessity.It is hereby declared: (a) That there exist in urban areas in the stateinsanitary, unsafe, and overcrowded dwelling accommodations; that in suchurban areas within the state there is a shortage of safe or sanitarydwelling accommodations available at rents or prices which persons of lowincome can afford and that such shortage forces such persons to occupyinsanitary, unsafe and overcrowded dwelling accommodations;

      (b)   that the aforesaid conditions cause an increase in and spread ofdisease and crime and constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals andwelfare of the residents of the state; that these conditions necessitateexcessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for crimeprevention and punishment, public health and safety, fire and accidentprotection, and other public services and facilities;

      (c)   that these slum areas cannot be cleared, nor can the shortage ofsafe and sanitary dwellings for persons of low income be relieved throughthe operation of private enterprise, and that the construction of housingprojects for persons of low income (as herein defined) would therefore notbe competitive with private enterprise;

      (d)   that the construction of such projects would make housing availablefor persons of low income;

      (e)   that the clearance, replanning, and preparation for rebuilding ofthese areas and the providing of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodationsfor persons of low income are public uses and purposes for which publicmoney may be spent and private property acquired and are governmentalfunctions of state concern;

      (f)   that residential construction activity is closely correlated withgeneral economic activity and that the undertakings authorized by this actto aid the production of better housing and more desirable neighborhood andcommunity development at lower costs will make possible a more stable andlarger volume of residential construction which will assist materially inmaintaining full employment; and that the necessity in the public interestfor the provisions hereinafter enacted is hereby declared as a matter oflegislative determination.

      History:   L. 1957, ch. 132, § 2; L. 1961, ch. 121, § 1; L. 1971, ch. 79, § 1; July 1.