* § 894. Declaration of purpose. The legislature finds and determines
as follows:

1. The urban areas of the state of New York have unique
characteristics, needs, conditions and opportunities. These urban areas
are vital to the economic, social and general health of our state. The
magnitude of the challenge of economic habilitation of those distressed
urban areas which are in need of assistance is such that a concentrated
effort by the state in cooperation with these communities is required.

2. Past efforts on the part of the state to facilitate necessary
assistance to distressed urban areas have been characterized by specific
and innovative program approaches to individual symptoms of blight and
deterioration. The state has firmly established through these individual
program approaches its commitment to preserving the viability of urban
areas. Numerous agencies have been created, empowered and funded to
assist and coordinate these efforts in specific areas of need.

3. Efforts have further been made, through the establishment of the
urban affairs cabinet, to facilitate and to enhance the coordination of
state programs and efforts intended to remedy the problems of urban
blight and deterioration.

4. Despite these tangible past and present commitments to urban
preservation and development, the legislature hereby finds and
determines that many of the urban areas of our state continue to suffer
from blight and deterioration of basic public services, the private
economic sector, housing stock and other critical elements of community
vitality.

5. It is further found and declared that the numerous efforts of the
state designed to address and to correct existing and encroaching
indices of community distress must be strengthened and enhanced and
assistance to local and community agencies and organizations designed to
maximize the amount of financial and other assistance directed to
distressed urban areas must be improved.

6. It is therefore, the intent of the legislature to establish an
office of urban revitalization. The legislature intends that such office
shall augment the efforts of the urban cabinet in coordinating the
programs and efforts of the state agencies and public benefit
corporations to remedy existent problems in distressed urban areas. Said
office shall also be empowered to assure the provision of technical
assistance to localities and community organizations engaging the
improvement of economic, housing, industrial and commercial
revitalization of distressed communities. The legislature intends that
this office serve these organizations in order to maximize their
abilities to successfully obtain assistance from all available private
and public sources.

7. It is further the intent of the legislature to empower the office
to initiate, subject to legislative authorization and appropriations for
that purpose, programs of financial assistance to local and community
agencies and organizations consistent with the policy of enhancing the
revitalization of distressed urban areas.

8. These programs of assistance to distressed urban communities and
community organizations will thereby constitute an economic advantage to
the state and facilitate the implementation of the revitalization of
distressed urban areas.

* NB Expired March 31, 1985