It is hereby found and declared that the national defense program involves large increases in the military forces and personnel in this state, a great increase in the number of workers in already established manufacturing centers, and the bringing of a large number of workers and their families to new centers of defense industries in the state; that there is an acute shortage of safe and sanitary dwellings available to such persons and their families in this state which impedes the national defense program; that it is imperative that action be taken immediately to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for such persons to enable the rapid expansion of national defense activities in this state and to avoid a large labor turnover in defense industries which would seriously hamper their production; that the provisions hereinafter enacted are necessary to assure the availability of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities which otherwise would not be provided at this time; and that such provisions are for the public use and purpose of facilitating the national defense program in this state. It is further declared to be the purpose of this article to authorize housing authorities to do any and all things necessary or desirable to secure the financial aid of the federal government, or to cooperate with or act as agent of the federal government, in the expeditious development and the administration of projects to assure the availability when needed of safe and sanitary dwellings for persons engaged in national defense activities.