TITLE 2: NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION 4: LAND RESOURCES
§ 4412. Declaration of Purpose. (a) It is hereby declared: (1) That there exists in the Commonwealth unsanitary, unsafe, and overcrowded dwelling accommodations; that there is a shortage of decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations available at rents or prices which persons of low and moderate income can afford; and that this shortage forces these persons to occupy unsanitary, unsafe and overcrowded dwelling accommodations; (2) That these conditions cause an increase in and spread of disease and crime and constitute a menace to health, safety morals and welfare; and that these conditions necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety protection, fire and accident prevention, and other public services and facilities; (3) That the shortage of decent, safe and sanitary dwellings for persons of low and moderate income cannot be relieved through the operation of private enterprise; (4) That the providing of decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low and moderate income are governmental functions, involving public uses and purposes for which money may be spent and private property acquired; (5) That residential construction activity and a supply of acceptable housing are important factors to general economic activity, and that the undertaking authorized by this chapter to aid the production of better housing and more desirable neighborhood and community development at lower cost will make possible a more stable and larger volume of residential construction and housing supply which will assist materially in achieving full employment; and (6) That the necessity in the public interest for the following provisions is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination. (b) NMHC shall be organized and operated for the purpose of meeting the need for decent, safe and sanitary housing for persons of low and moderate income; and providing employment opportunities through the construction, reconstruction, improvement, extension, alteration or repair, and through the operation of, the housing. Source: DL 5-67, §§ 2-1, 2-2; amended by PL 20-87 § 6 (Feb. 5, 2019). Commission Comment: [Historical comments removed.] In codifying PL 20-87 § 6, which mandated a global amendment to Chapter 4, the Commission replaced the reference “to “MIHA” with “NMHC” in (b).