N.Y. Private Housing Finance Law § 901: Declaration of legislative findings

§ 901. Declaration of legislative findings. The legislature hereby

finds and declares that there has developed in recent years, in various

municipalities of the state, a growth of community-based not-for-profit

organizations, originating for the most part within and organized by

residents of neighborhoods which are characterized by a predominance of

residents of low income and a residential housing stock which is largely

old, deteriorating and substandard.

The legislature further finds that the involvement of the residents of

various municipalities of the state in neighborhood preservation

activities in their respective neighborhoods, through the media of

locally-based, not-for-profit organizations responsive to the needs of

the residents, is in the public interest and may be expected to produce

increased renovation and rehabilitation of existing but deteriorating

housing accommodations, improvement in housing code enforcement and the

correction, removal and repair of substandard housing and housing

conditions dangerous to life, safety or health. Such involvement in

neighborhood preservation activities may also be expected to produce

reduced abandonment of housing, which the legislature finds to be

increasing in many neighborhoods of the state and to be continuing to

cause shortages of housing accommodations for persons and families of

low income and the relocation of such families from neighborhoods to

which they have developed strong emotional as well as economic

attachments.

The legislature further finds that many municipalities throughout the

state are now receiving or will receive monies under federal programs,

that such funds may be used and applied by such municipalities for the

neighborhood preservation activities referred to in this article and

that an efficient and effective use of such funds and the public

interest will be promoted by the active involvement of various

not-for-profit organizations.

The legislature further finds that numerous not-for-profit

organizations which have arisen throughout the state are heavily

dependent upon voluntary services of neighborhood residents; that such

organizations are dependent in part for operating funds upon fees

generated by the management of housing accommodations; that such

organizations are dependent for the remainder of their operating funds,

to a significant extent, upon gifts and grants from private individuals,

corporations and foundations; that such financial assistance is

inherently uncertain and covers expenses only over short periods of

time, thereby causing such organizations to be inadequately financed,

unable to plan any long range housing activities and unable to attract,

employ or contract with needed experts and technicians for assistance to

implementing neighborhood preservation programs; and that it is a proper

and necessary public purpose and activity of the state to assure the

adequate funding of not-for-profit organizations which are active in

neighborhood preservation activities.

The necessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinafter

enacted is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination.