It is hereby declared (a) that there exists in the state an acute shortage of decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for elderly persons at rents which they can afford to pay; that, within the state, elderly persons are forced to reside in unsafe and insanitary accommodations; that such persons are forced to occupy overcrowded and congested dwelling accommodations; that such conditions cause an increase in and spread of disease, both physical and mental, and constitute a menace to the health, safety and welfare of elderly persons of the state and impair economic values; that such conditions necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for public health and safety, fire and accident prevention and other services and facilities; (b) that the shortage of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for elderly persons of low and moderate income cannot be relieved through the operation of private enterprise, and that the construction of housing accommodations for elderly persons would, therefore, not be competitive with private enterprise; (c) that the acquisition and reconstruction of existing housing accommodations to provide safe and sanitary dwelling facilities especially adapted for elderly persons are public uses and purposes for which public money may be spent and private or public property acquired, and the necessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinafter enacted is declared as a matter of legislative determination.

(1959, P.A. 600, S. 1.)

Cited. 173 C. 223; 206 C. 711.