§ 122A-2. Legislative findings and purposes. - North Carolina Statutes

§122A‑2.  Legislative findings and purposes.

The General Assembly herebyfinds and declares that as a result of the spread of slum conditions and blightto formerly sound urban and rural neighborhoods and as a result of actionsinvolving highways, public facilities and urban renewal activities there existsin the State of North Carolina a serious shortage of decent, safe and sanitaryresidential housing available at low prices or rentals to persons and familiesof lower income. This shortage is severe in certain urban areas of the State,is especially critical in the rural  areas, and is inimical to the health,safety, welfare and prosperity of all residents of the State and to the soundgrowth of North Carolina communities.

The General Assembly herebyfinds and declares further that private enterprise and investment have not beenable to produce, without assistance, the needed construction of decent, safeand sanitary residential housing at low prices or rentals which persons andfamilies of lower income can afford, or to achieve the urgently neededrehabilitation of much of the present lower income housing. It is imperativethat the supply of residential housing for persons  and families of lowerincome affected by the spread of slum conditions and blight and for persons andfamilies of lower income displaced by public actions or natural disaster beincreased; and that private enterprise and investment be encouraged to sponsor,build and rehabilitate residential housing for such persons and families, to helpprevent the recurrence of slum conditions and blight and assist in theirpermanent elimination throughout North Carolina.

The General Assembly herebyfinds and declares further that the purposes of this Chapter are to providefinancing for residential housing construction, new or rehabilitated, for saleor rental to persons and families of lower income.

The General Assembly herebyfinds and declares further that in accomplishing this purpose, the NorthCarolina Housing Finance Agency, a public agency and an instrumentality of theState, is acting in all respects for the benefit of the people of the State inthe performance of essential public functions and serves a public purpose inimproving and otherwise promoting their health, welfare and prosperity, andthat the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, is empowered to act on behalfof the State of North Carolina and its people in serving this public purposefor the benefit of the general public.

The General Assembly herebyfurther finds and declares that it shall be the policy of said Agency, wheneverfeasible, to give first priority in its programs to assisting persons andfamilies of lower income in the purchase and rehabilitation of residentialhousing, and to undertake its programs in the areas where the greatest housingneed exists, and to give priority to projects and individual units whichconform to sound principles and practices of comprehensive land use andenvironmental planning, regional development planning and transportationplanning as established by units of local government and regional organizationshaving jurisdiction over the area within which such projects and units are tobe located if such government agencies exist in an area under consideration.However, no area of need shall be penalized because government planningagencies do not exist in such areas.

The General Assembly herebyalso further finds and declares that private enterprise and investment have notbeen able to provide, without assistance, the needed installation of energy savingmaterials in owner occupied residences of persons and families of lower income.It is imperative for the health, safety and welfare of these persons and thegeneral public that their residences be suitably heated at affordable cost inorder to provide decent housing; and that the consumption of nonrenewablesources of energy be reduced. Therefore, the General Assembly finds that one ofthe purposes of this Chapter is to assist persons and families of lower incometo obtain loans for the purpose of heating their homes at affordable cost andat the same time to significantly reduce the amount of consumption ofnonrenewable sources of energy. (1969, c. 1235, s. 2; 1973,c. 1296, s. 2; 1977, c. 1083, s. 1.)