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

(b) that the aforesaid conditions cause an increase in and spread of disease and crime and constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the state; that these conditions necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety, fire and accident protection, and other public services and facilities;

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

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

(e) that the clearance, replanning, and preparation for rebuilding of these areas and the providing of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low income are public uses and purposes for which public money may be spent and private property acquired and are governmental functions of state concern;

(f) that residential construction activity is closely correlated with general economic activity and that the undertakings authorized by this act to aid the production of better housing and more desirable neighborhood and community development at lower costs will make possible a more stable and larger volume of residential construction which will assist materially in maintaining full employment; and that the necessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinafter enacted is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination.

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