9:25-2. Legislative findings and declarations

a. The Legislature finds and declares:

(1) There persist in the State and especially in the urban communities of New Jersey, areas of economic decay and declining housing stock and human deprivation, marked by the progressive deterioration of housing and community facilities and installations of the economic infrastructure.

(2) The dearth of employment opportunities for young persons in these areas has chronically exceeded any life problems experienced in other areas and under current economic conditions, has reached catastrophic proportions, particularly with respect to minority youth.

(3) The persistence of these problems despite the fact that the very youth thus affected present a vast and largely untapped resource of talent, energy and zeal sufficient to make a significant contribution to the revitalization of our urban and urbanized areas, suggests the need and desirability of establishing some mechanism to recruit, organize and direct the boundless energy and vigorous idealism of youth, so as to match their hitherto neglected potential against the currently intractable problems of urban reconstruction.

b. Accordingly, it is the purpose of the Legislature in enacting this act to establish a New Jersey Youth Corps to recruit, train and employ young persons to supplement and assist in preserving, conserving and enhancing those assets that are necessary to a sound and flourishing community life and are currently threatened by ongoing forces of urban decay.

c. Specifically, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is the intent of the Legislature that the New Jersey Youth Corps would be employed in such projects as the rehabilitation of substandard housing; the repair, restoration and maintenance of public facilities and amenities; assisting in the organization and delivery of educational and health and other social services required by various segments of urban populations.

d. It is the further intent of the Legislature that the New Jersey Youth Corps, in recruiting young persons for service therein, should aim primarily at providing socially worthwhile and reasonably remunerative employment to urban youth to whom these opportunities might not otherwise be available.

e. It is further intended by the Legislature that the proposed New Jersey Youth Corps be operated in a business like manner, with due regard to the true cost-effectiveness of such projects as it may engage in; that its activities be coordinated with apprenticeship or other youth-oriented programs as may be concurrently conducted by State government, and that adequate departmental cooperation and liaison be established to secure that coordination; and that its resources not be in any way employed in unfair price or wage competition with business or individuals. Nothing in this act shall be construed as giving the administrator any authority by virtue of which the Youth Corps or any member or subdivision thereof may compete for any project on which an incorporated business or recognized labor union has expressed intention to bid.

L.1984, c. 198, s. 2, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.