N.Y. GMU Law § 691 — New York Code / Act GMU / Article 16 / Section 691
Policy and purposes of article
Status: in_force

§ 691. Policy and purposes of article.  There exist in many\nmunicipalities within this state municipally-owned areas which were\nacquired pursuant to the urban renewal powers delineated in article\nfifteen of this chapter or through condemnation for projects now\nabandoned or as a direct result of previous landowners' failure to meet\nin full their real estate tax or other obligations or through\nproceedings relating to abandoned multiple dwellings or which consist of\nmunicipal facilities no longer needed for public purposes.  These areas\nare residential, non-residential, commercial, industrial, municipal\nfacilities or vacant areas, and combinations thereof, which are slum or\nblighted, or which are becoming slum or blighted areas because of\nsubstandard, insanitary, deteriorated or deteriorating conditions,\nfactors, and characteristics, with or without tangible physical blight.\nThe existence of such areas constitutes a serious and growing menace, is\ninjurious to the public safety, health, morals and welfare, contributes\nincreasingly to the spread of crime, juvenile delinquency and disease,\nnecessitates excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds\nfor all forms of public service and maintenance and constitutes a\nnegative influence on adjacent properties impairing their economic\nsoundness and stability, thereby threatening the source of public\nrevenues.\n  In order to protect and promote the safety, health, morals and welfare\nof the people of the state and to promote the sound growth and\ndevelopment of our municipalities, it is necessary to provide incentives\nfor the correction of such substandard, insanitary, blighted,\ndeteriorated or deteriorating conditions, factors, and characteristics\nby the clearance, replanning, reconstruction, redevelopment,\nrehabilitation, restoration or conservation of such areas, the\nundertaking of public and private improvement programs related thereto\nand the encouragement and participation in these programs by private\nenterprise.\n  Moreover in order to assure that each segment of our society,\nparticularly enterprises experienced in the construction of one to four\nfamily residential structures and business enterprises which are\ncontrolled by members of minorities, is accorded a real and proper\nability to participate in projects to be undertaken pursuant to this\narticle, it must be the public policy of each municipality operating\npursuant to the provisions hereof to take such initiatives as are\nappropriate to effect such participation.\n  It is necessary for the accomplishment of such purposes to grant\nmunicipalities of this state the rights and powers provided in this\narticle. The use of such rights and powers to correct such conditions,\nfactors and characteristics and to eliminate or prevent the development\nand spread of deterioration and blight through the clearance,\nreplanning, reconstruction, rehabilitation, conservation or renewal of\nsuch areas, for residential, commercial, industrial, community, public\nand other uses is a public use and public purpose essential to the\npublic interest, and for which public funds may be expended.\n