a. There is an urgent need to improve the housing conditions of low and moderate income individuals and families, many of whom live in substandard housing, particularly in the older cities of the State; and

b. There are large numbers of older residential buildings in the State, both occupied and vacant, which are in urgent need of rehabilitation and which must be rehabilitated if the State’s citizens are to be housed in decent, sound, and sanitary conditions; and

c. The application of those building code requirements currently in force to housing rehabilitation has led to the imposition of costly and time-consuming requirements which result in a significant reduction in the amount of rehabilitation activity taking place; and

d. Extensive research has been conducted, in New Jersey and elsewhere, which can serve as a sound basis for the development and adoption of a building code specifically designed to foster cost-effective housing rehabilitation while ensuring that necessary health and safety requirements are met; and

e. Furthermore, in addition to the need for prudent modification of code provisions applicable to rehabilitation of older housing structures, it appears that complaints have from time to time been made that the scope and rigidity of the existing State Uniform Construction Code, as currently adopted and applied, may make excessively stringent and onerous requirements that burden the provision of affordable housing with expenses without any commensurate benefit to the public health, safety and welfare.

L.1995,c.78,s.1.