SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                      1695

No. 6
(Senate Joint Resolution 6)

Senate Joint Resolution to establish the policy of the State of Mary-
land on housing for elderly persons of low and middle income.

Whereas, Maryland has been a leader in participation by non-profit
sponsors in building housing for elderly persons of low middle income
under Section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959, and the General As-
sembly has encouraged this type of housing by passing Chapter 201
of the Acts of 1966, which authorized the local subdivisions to grant
tax relief to such projects in the form of negotiated payments in lieu
of taxes; and

Whereas, the General Assembly in 1937 also enacted enabling
legislation authorizing the establishment of local housing authorities;
and thirteen cities and towns in Maryland have established such
authorities, several of which have built housing especially suitable
for the elderly, but only two counties have appointed housing author-
ities; and whereas these housing authorities can be established by
action of the County Commissioners or Councils, and the authorities
so established would then be able to build housing for the low-income
elderly with Federal subsidies without expenditure of County or
State funds; therefore, be it

Resolved by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it is hereby
declared to be the policy of the State of Maryland that:

1.  In the interest of building housing for the lowest income group
among the elderly, housing authorities should be established in all
counties at the earliest possible date.

2.   All such housing authorities and non-profit housing sponsors
are urged to provide to the fullest possible extent facilities in these
housing projects for such ancillary services as may meet the needs
of the tenants in these projects as long as possible, and thus forestall
the need for institutionalization.

3.  The General Assembly is convinced that there is need for housing
which would provide individual units, with congregate kitchen and
dining for those for whom independent tenancies are no longer
adequate, but institutionalization is not yet necessary. Such housing
should provide normal individual living conditions, but in which meals,
housekeeping, and personal care services are provided centrally for
those elderly who desire or need it. To encourage the construction
of such housing, the General Assembly requests the Secretary of the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to
amend the regulations adopted under Section 202 of the Housing
Act of 1959, so as to extend the benefits of Section 202 to non-profit
sponsors of congregate housing for the elderly; and in the event that
in his judgement such amendment is not authorized under the present
language of Section 202, the General Assembly memorializes Congress
to amend Section 202 to give non-profit sponsors of congregate hous-
ing the benefits of that Section. And be it further

Resolved, That the policy set forth in this joint resolution of the
General Assembly of Maryland be submitted to the several counties
of this State for their favorable consideration. And be it further