§ 894 — Declaration of purpose

* § 894. Declaration of purpose. The legislature finds and determines\nas follows:\n 1. The urban areas of the state of New York have unique\ncharacteristics, needs, conditions and opportunities. These urban areas\nare vital to the economic, social and general health of our state. The\nmagnitude of the challenge of economic habilitation of those distressed\nurban areas which are in need of assistance is such that a concentrated\neffort by the state in cooperation with these communities is required.\n 2. Past efforts on the part of the state to facilitate necessary\nassistance to distressed urban areas have been characterized by specific\nand innovative program approaches to individual symptoms of blight and\ndeterioration. The state has firmly established through these individual\nprogram approaches its commitment to preserving the viability of urban\nareas. Numerous agencies have been created, empowered and funded to\nassist and coordinate these efforts in specific areas of need.\n 3. Efforts have further been made, through the establishment of the\nurban affairs cabinet, to facilitate and to enhance the coordination of\nstate programs and efforts intended to remedy the problems of urban\nblight and deterioration.\n 4. Despite these tangible past and present commitments to urban\npreservation and development, the legislature hereby finds and\ndetermines that many of the urban areas of our state continue to suffer\nfrom blight and deterioration of basic public services, the private\neconomic sector, housing stock and other critical elements of community\nvitality.\n 5. It is further found and declared that the numerous efforts of the\nstate designed to address and to correct existing and encroaching\nindices of community distress must be strengthened and enhanced and\nassistance to local and community agencies and organizations designed to\nmaximize the amount of financial and other assistance directed to\ndistressed urban areas must be improved.\n 6. It is therefore, the intent of the legislature to establish an\noffice of urban revitalization. The legislature intends that such office\nshall augment the efforts of the urban cabinet in coordinating the\nprograms and efforts of the state agencies and public benefit\ncorporations to remedy existent problems in distressed urban areas. Said\noffice shall also be empowered to assure the provision of technical\nassistance to localities and community organizations engaging the\nimprovement of economic, housing, industrial and commercial\nrevitalization of distressed communities. The legislature intends that\nthis office serve these organizations in order to maximize their\nabilities to successfully obtain assistance from all available private\nand public sources.\n 7. It is further the intent of the legislature to empower the office\nto initiate, subject to legislative authorization and appropriations for\nthat purpose, programs of financial assistance to local and community\nagencies and organizations consistent with the policy of enhancing the\nrevitalization of distressed urban areas.\n 8. These programs of assistance to distressed urban communities and\ncommunity organizations will thereby constitute an economic advantage to\nthe state and facilitate the implementation of the revitalization of\ndistressed urban areas.\n * NB Expired March 31, 1985\n