It is hereby declared: (a) that there exists in urban and rural areas in certain counties in the state unsanitary, unsafe, and overcrowded dwelling accommodations; that in such urban and rural 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 unsanitary, 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 dwelling for persons of low income be adequately relieved through the operation of private enterprise and that housing projects for persons of low income as herein defined would therefore not be competitive with private enterprise; (d) that such projects would also make housing available for persons of low income who are displaced in the rehabilitation, clearance, or redevelopment of slums and blighted areas or as the result of other governmental action, and for veterans of low income who are unable to provide themselves with decent housing on the basis of the benefits heretofore made available to them through certain government guarantees of loans to veterans for the purchase of residential property; (e) that the clearance, replanning and preparation for rebuilding of these areas and the providing of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations and maintaining a wholesome living environment for persons of low income are charitable and 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 provision 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 activity which will assist materially in maintaining full employment; and (g) that it is in the public interest that preparations for such projects and activities be made now, and that the necessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinafter enacted is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination.
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