A.  This Chapter shall be known and may be referred to as the “Louisiana Housing Corporation Act”.

B.(1)  The legislature hereby finds and declares that there exists in the state of Louisiana a serious shortage of affordable, accessible, decent, safe, and sanitary residential housing that is in compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. §12131 et seq., the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C.A.  §3601 et seq., and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.A. §794.

(2)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that private enterprise and investment unaided has not been able to produce the needed construction of decent, safe, accessible, and sanitary residential housing at prices which persons and families of low or moderate income can afford, or to achieve the urgently needed rehabilitation of existing inadequate and substandard residential housing.  The legislature further finds and declares that it is imperative that the supply of residential housing for persons and families of low or moderate income, senior citizens and persons with disabilities, that is in compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. §12131 et seq., the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C.A. §3601 et seq., and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.A. §794, be increased substantially and that private enterprise and investors be encouraged to sponsor, build, and rehabilitate residential housing for such persons and families.

(3)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that a major cause of the shortage of residential housing is the inadequate supply of funds available from private mortgage lenders for residential housing mortgage loans at interest rates within the financial means of persons and families of low or moderate income.

(4)  The legislature hereby finds and declares that the limited resources available directly to the state or its agencies may be more effectively and efficiently utilized if a single corporation is authorized and directed to coordinate housing programs administered by the state or its agencies and instrumentalities.

(5)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that additional financial resources and technical skills must be available in local communities if the state is to mobilize the capacity of the private sector, including nonprofit community housing development organizations, to provide a more adequate supply of decent, safe, affordable, accessible, and sanitary housing.

(6)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that state leadership is needed to achieve an adequate supply of affordable and accessible housing for all residents of the state and that such leadership shall be provided through the corporation.

(7)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that this corporation should have the maximum amount of flexibility, responsibility, and discretion to assure that all the residents of the state shall have access to decent, safe, sanitary, accessible, and affordable housing; therefore, in carrying out the purposes of this Chapter, the corporation shall be presumed to possess broad powers and legal prerogatives which enable the corporation to carry out its purposes directly or indirectly through one or more nonprofit subsidiaries.

(8)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that a major cause of the shortage of residential housing available for persons and families of low or moderate income is the lack of a coordinated approach and clear statewide policy regarding funds for such residential housing.

(9)  The legislature hereby finds and declares further that providing housing for citizens with disabilities and senior citizens is a crucial responsibility of the state and that any coordinated approach or clear statewide policy regarding funds for residential housing shall take into account assuring that such housing remains available and affordable for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Acts 2011, No. 408, §1, eff. July 5, 2011.