HARRY W. NICE, GOVERNOR. 1235

which persons of low income can afford and that such persons
are forced to occupy overcrowded and congested dwelling ac-
commodations; that the aforesaid conditions cause an increase
in and spread of disease and crime and constitute a menace to
health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the State
and impair economic values; that these conditions necessitate
excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds
for crime prevention and punishment, public health and safety,
fire and accident protection, and other public services and
facilities; (b) That these slum areas cannot be cleared, nor
can the shortage of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons of
low income be relieved, through the operation of private enter-
prise, and that the construction of housing projects for persons
of low income (as herein defined) would therefore not be com-
petitive with private enterprise; (c) That the clearance, re-
planning and reconstruction of the areas in which insanitary
or unsafe housing conditions exist and the providing of safe
and sanitary dwelling accommodations for persons of low in-
come are public uses and purposes for which public money may
be spent and private property acquired; that it is in the pub-
lic interest that work on such projects be commenced as soon
as possible in order to relieve unemployment which now con-
stitutes an emergency; and the necessity in the public interest
for the provisions hereinafter enacted, is hereby declared as a
matter of legislative determination.

3. The following terms, wherever used or referred to in
this Article, shall have the following respective meanings,
unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

(a) "Authority" or "Housing Authority" shall mean any
of the public corporations created by Section 4 or Section 23
of this Article.

(b) "City" shall mean any incorporated city or town, having
a population of more than 1, 000 (according to the last Federal
or State census). "The city" shall mean the particular city
for which a particular housing authority is created.

(c) "Governing body" shall mean, the council, commission-
ers, or other legislative body of the city.

(d) "Mayor" shall mean the Mayor of the city or the officer
thereof charged with the duties customarily imposed on the
Mayor or executive head of the city.

(e) "Clerk" shall mean the clerk of the city, or the officer
charged with the duties customarily imposed on such clerk.

(f) "Area of Operation" of a housing authority of a city
shall include such city and the area within ten miles of the
territorial boundaries thereof, but shall not include any area
which lies within the territorial boundaries of any other city
as defined herein.