Md. Code, Housing and Community Development § 12-102

The General Assembly finds that:

(1) there is unsanitary or unsafe housing in which individuals of low and moderate income are forced to live;

(2) there is a shortage of safe or sanitary housing that is available at rents that individuals of low and moderate income can afford, forcing these individuals to live in overcrowded housing;

(3) there are many families living in housing that, while decent and safe, is inadequate for the size of the family;

(4) the conditions:

(i) cause disease and crime to increase and spread, threaten the public health, safety, morals, and welfare, and impair economic values; and

(ii) cause too much public money to be spent for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety, fire and accident protection, and other public services and facilities;

(5) construction of housing projects for individuals of low and moderate income does not compete with private enterprise because:

(i) there are economically depressed or physically deteriorated areas that cannot be assisted through the private housing market; and

(ii) the private housing market cannot relieve the shortage of safe and sanitary housing for individuals of low and moderate income;

(6) clearing, replanning, and reconstructing areas in which unsanitary or unsafe housing exists and providing safe and sanitary housing for persons of low and moderate income are public purposes and essential governmental functions for which public money may be spent and private property acquired;

(7) it is the policy of the State to develop safe, sanitary, and decent housing for State residents;

(8) there is a need for available mortgage credit because many purchasers and owners of housing cannot afford mortgage credit at the market interest rate or get mortgage credit because the mortgage credit market is severely restricted; and

(9) this Division II is needed in the public interest.