§ 1020. Legislative findings and statement of policy. The legislature hereby finds that in certain rural areas of the state significant numbers of low income residents are unable to obtain decent housing. The normal operation of the private market has not addressed their needs.

The elderly and families are especially affected by the lack of housing in rural areas. Elderly persons are frequently forced to choose between continuing to live in homes which have become too large to care for and use well or leaving their communities to live elsewhere. Families, particularly those just beginning, are often faced with either substandard, unsafe housing, living with relatives in overcrowded conditions, or leaving their communities. The ensuing social and economic disruption has profoundly adverse effects on the rural communities as well as the residents.

Numerous housing programs have been initiated by the federal government to provide housing for those of low income. For the most part, these programs have worked best in areas of high population density, thus effectively, although unintentionally, failing to fulfill their intent in rural areas.

The legislature further finds that locally based housing providers can effectively serve the needs of low and moderate income persons in rural areas. Their efforts have been severely limited, however, by the contemporary high cost of financing, inflation and massive retrenchment in federal housing assistance programs.

The legislature further finds it to be in the best interests of the people of New York state to assist local housing providers in meeting the needs of low income occupants in rural areas by supplementing federal assistance programs with a program of state rental assistance payments similar to the federal Farmer's Home Administration Program.