LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS

The legislature finds that: (1) there is a shortage of safe or sanitary housing at rents that persons of low income can afford that forces persons of low income to live in unsanitary or unsafe housing and in overcrowded and congested housing; (2) these housing conditions are responsible for an increase in and spread of disease and crime, are a menace to the health, safety, morals, and welfare of the residents of the state, impair economic values, and 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; (3) the unsafe and unsanitary housing cannot be cleared and the shortage of safe and sanitary housing for persons of low income cannot be relieved by private enterprise; (4) the construction of housing projects for persons of low income would not be competitive with private enterprise; (5) the clearance, replanning, and reconstruction of the areas in which unsanitary or unsafe housing exists and the providing of safe and sanitary housing for persons of low income are public uses and purposes and governmental functions of state concern for which public money may be spent and private property acquired; (6) it is in the public interest that work on low income housing projects commence as soon as possible to relieve the unemployment emergency; and (7) this chapter is necessary in the public interest.