99.030. Declaration and purpose of law. - Missouri Statutes

Declaration and purpose of law.

99.030. It is hereby declared

(1) That there exist in the state insanitary or unsafedwelling accommodations and that persons of low income are forcedto reside in such insanitary or unsafe accommodations; thatwithin the state there is a shortage of safe or sanitary dwellingaccommodations available at rents which persons of low income canafford and that such persons are forced to occupy overcrowded andcongested dwelling accommodations; that the aforesaid conditionscause an increase in and spread of disease and crime andconstitute a menace to the health, safety, morals and welfare ofthe residents of the state and impair economic values; that theseconditions necessitate excessive and disproportionateexpenditures of public funds for crime prevention and punishment,public health and safety, fire and accident protection, and otherpublic services and facilities;

(2) That these areas in the state cannot be cleared, nor canthe shortage of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons of lowincome be relieved, through the operation of private enterprise,and that the construction of housing projects for persons of lowincome (as herein defined) would therefore not be competitivewith private enterprise;

(3) That the clearance, replanning and reconstruction of theareas in which insanitary or unsafe housing conditions exist andthe providing of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations forpersons of low income are public uses and purposes for whichpublic money may be spent and private property acquired and aregovernmental functions of state concern;

(4) That it is in the public interest that work on projectsfor such purposes be commenced as soon as possible in order torelieve unemployment which now constitutes an emergency; and thenecessity in the public interest for the provisions hereinenacted, is hereby declared as a matter of legislativedetermination.

(RSMo 1939 § 7854)