§ 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.