§ 82-101. Findings.

It is hereby ascertained, represented, determined and declared that:

(1)

There exist in certain areas of the city, slum and blighted areas which constitute a serious and growing menace, injurious to the public health, safety, morals, and welfare of the residents of the city; such areas contribute substantially and increasingly to the spread of disease and crime, constitute an economic and social liability imposing onerous burdens which decrease the tax base and reduce tax revenues, substantially impair or arrest sound growth, retard the provision of adequate housing, aggravates traffic problems, and substantially hamper the elimination of traffic hazards and the improvement of traffic facilities; the prevention and elimination of slums and blight is a matter of city policy and concern in order that the city and its residents shall not continue to be endangered by areas which are focal centers of disease, promote juvenile delinquency, and consume an excessive proportion of city revenues because of the extra services required for police, fire, accident, hospitalization, and other forms of public protection, services, and facilities.

(2)

Certain slum or blighted areas, or portions thereof, may require the acquisition of property, the sale (including sales at below fair market prices) and grant of property to further redevelopment, the removal or demolition of existing structures, the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation and equipping of residential development and related office, commercial and light industrial development and other public and private improvements and projects, the sale, leasing or other disposition thereof, and the financing of such projects either by private financing or public funding since the prevailing condition of decay may make impracticable the reclamation of the area by conservation or rehabilitation; other areas or portions thereof may be susceptible to conservation or rehabilitation in such a manner that the conditions and evils enumerated may be eliminated, remedied, or prevented; and salvageable slum and blighted areas can be conserved and rehabilitated through appropriate public and private action and the cooperation and voluntary action of the owners and tenants of property in such areas and other interested persons and corporations.

(3)

The powers conferred hereby and the financing of projects hereunder are for paramount public purposes for which public money may be expended, advanced, loaned or granted; public property may be granted or sold at prices below fair market value, eminent domain and police powers exercised, and the necessity in the public interest for the provisions herein enacted is hereby declared as a matter of paramount public purposes and legislative policy and determination.

(4)

The preservation or enhancement of the tax base from which the city realizes tax revenues is essential to its existence and financial health. Tax increment financing is an effective method of achieving such preservation and enhancement in areas in which such tax base is declining. When completed, community redevelopment and related economic development in such areas will enhance such tax base and provide increased tax revenues to the city increasing its ability to accomplish its other respective purposes; and the preservation and enhancement of the tax base in such areas through tax increment financing, the levying of taxes by the city therefore, and the appropriation of such funds and other non-ad valorem revenues of the city to redevelopment trust funds bears a substantial relation to the purposes of the city for its respective purposes and concerns.

(5)

Further, there exists a severe shortage of decent, safe and sanitary housing in slum and blighted areas of the city. The existence of such condition affects the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the city and impedes its growth and economic and social development. Such conditions require excessive expenditures for crime prevention and control, public health, welfare and safety, fire and accident prevention, and other public services and facilities; and the elimination or improvement of such condition is a proper matter of public policy and is for a valid and desirable paramount public purpose, which may be relieved through encouragement of investment by private enterprise and stimulation of residential development and office, commercial and light industrial development related thereto through use of public financing, expenditure of public funds, grants and sales of public property at below-market prices, and provision of loans to private, public and not for profit owners at below-market interest rates to provide residential development in community redevelopment areas. Therefore, the financing, acquisition, construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of residential development in redevelopment areas are effective growth management tools and practices and are paramount public purposes for which public money may be spent, advanced, loaned or granted and are governmental functions of public concern.

(6)

The residential, commercial and industrial development, historic preservation, recreational, cultural, educational and health care industries are vital to the economy of the city, particularly in these areas having conditions described in this section; the enhancement of community redevelopment activity in such areas by attracting varied residential, commercial, office and light industrial and manufacturing activities is needed in such areas to provide a strong, balanced and stable economy in the city and at the same time, prevent or eliminate slum and blight. Therefore, it is necessary and in the public interest to facilitate the financing of such projects in community redevelopment areas as herein provided and to provide incentives, financial and otherwise, for the planning and development of such projects in community redevelopment areas; and the provisioning of such incentives, financial and otherwise, are paramount public purposes for which public money may be spent, advanced, loaned or granted and are governmental functions of public concern necessary and in the public interest as a matter of public policy and legislative determination.

(Ord. No. 2007-0505, § 2, 4-3-2007)