§ 901 — Declaration of legislative findings

§ 901. Declaration of legislative findings. The legislature hereby\nfinds and declares that there has developed in recent years, in various\nmunicipalities of the state, a growth of community-based not-for-profit\norganizations, originating for the most part within and organized by\nresidents of neighborhoods which are characterized by a predominance of\nresidents of low income and a residential housing stock which is largely\nold, deteriorating and substandard.\n The legislature further finds that the involvement of the residents of\nvarious municipalities of the state in neighborhood preservation\nactivities in their respective neighborhoods, through the media of\nlocally-based, not-for-profit organizations responsive to the needs of\nthe residents, is in the public interest and may be expected to produce\nincreased renovation and rehabilitation of existing but deteriorating\nhousing accommodations, improvement in housing code enforcement and the\ncorrection, removal and repair of substandard housing and housing\nconditions dangerous to life, safety or health. Such involvement in\nneighborhood preservation activities may also be expected to produce\nreduced abandonment of housing, which the legislature finds to be\nincreasing in many neighborhoods of the state and to be continuing to\ncause shortages of housing accommodations for persons and families of\nlow income and the relocation of such families from neighborhoods to\nwhich they have developed strong emotional as well as economic\nattachments.\n The legislature further finds that many municipalities throughout the\nstate are now receiving or will receive monies under federal programs,\nthat such funds may be used and applied by such municipalities for the\nneighborhood preservation activities referred to in this article and\nthat an efficient and effective use of such funds and the public\ninterest will be promoted by the active involvement of various\nnot-for-profit organizations.\n The legislature further finds that numerous not-for-profit\norganizations which have arisen throughout the state are heavily\ndependent upon voluntary services of neighborhood residents; that such\norganizations are dependent in part for operating funds upon fees\ngenerated by the management of housing accommodations; that such\norganizations are dependent for the remainder of their operating funds,\nto a significant extent, upon gifts and grants from private individuals,\ncorporations and foundations; that such financial assistance is\ninherently uncertain and covers expenses only over short periods of\ntime, thereby causing such organizations to be inadequately financed,\nunable to plan any long range housing activities and unable to attract,\nemploy or contract with needed experts and technicians for assistance to\nimplementing neighborhood preservation programs; and that it is a proper\nand necessary public purpose and activity of the state to assure the\nadequate funding of not-for-profit organizations which are active in\nneighborhood preservation activities.\n The necessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinafter\nenacted is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination.\n