3818

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

WHEREAS, The General Assembly of Maryland acknowledges that
there is a shortage of adequate and affordable housing for senior
citizens in the State; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly has recognized the essential
need for assisting in providing housing for senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, There are currently more than 434,000 Marylanders
age 65 or over, the number of senior citizens is increasing at an
estimated rate of 3 percent each year, 40 percent of the elderly
persons in this State are over age 75, and large numbers of these
individuals are in need of affordable well equipped housing for
their physiological and psychological stability; and

WHEREAS, Government financed housing programs for senior
citizens are widely recognized as an effective means for
providing the low cost financing essential to the development of
and rehabilitation of adequate housing for senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, The development of a government financing program
for the construction or rehabilitation of housing for senior
citizens could greatly reduce the number of senior citizens who
are unable to locate adequate affordable housing; now, therefore,
be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
Governor Maryland Housing Policy Commission is requested fee
establish a Commission to study and make recommendations on how
the State could develop a program for financing construction and
rehabilitation of housing for senior citizens; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission be composed of 9 members
appointed as follows:

(1) 2 members of the House of Delegates, appointed by
the Speaker of the House;

(2) 2 members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by
the President of the Senate;

(3) A representative, appointed by the Governor, from
each of the following agencies.

(i) The State Office on Aging;

(ii) The Department of Economic and Community
Development; and

(iii) 3 senior citizens who utilize senior
citizen housing in the State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Governor appoint a chairperson and vice
chairperson from the members of the Commission; and be it further