55:13B-2. Legislative findings and declarations

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that:

Whereas , Numerous citizens of this State reside in rooming and boarding houses which are either infrequently supervised or completely unsupervised, unlicensed and unregulated by the State and by other governmental bodies; and

Whereas , The residents of such facilities are predominantly elderly, disabled and poor, many of whom need social, personal and financial services, protection from building hazards and protection from unscrupulous and predatory neighbors; and

Whereas , There is a need to ascertain the costs and resources of facilities currently licensed by the State and known as boarding homes for sheltered care, so as to determine whether and under what conditions the number of such homes should be increased and their standards of care raised; and

Whereas , It is incumbent upon the government of this State to determine whether the residents of rooming houses, boarding houses, and currently licensed boarding facilities are in need of special services, care or treatment and might profit from referral to existing or available community agencies or alternative living arrangements; and

Whereas , Several State agencies have different yet appropriate responsibilities for protecting the health, safety and welfare of the residents of rooming houses, boarding houses and residential health care facilities and it is necessary that there be coordination among these agencies for the cost-effective fulfillment of their respective responsibilities.

This remedial legislation is therefore necessary to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all those who reside in rooming and boarding houses in this State, promote the growth and continued improvement of boarding homes for sheltered care, to be known henceforth as residential health care facilities, to ensure that all agencies of this State work in unison for the protection and care of the residents of rooming houses, boarding houses and residential health care facilities, and to ensure that needed social and remedial services are made available to the residents of such facilities through the efforts of county welfare boards.

L.1979, c. 496, s. 2.