2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
 
   a. Homelessness is a critical issue affecting communities throughout New Jersey;
 
   b. Homelessness impacts many facets of community life in municipalities, including, but not limited to:
 
   (1) the state of a municipality’s housing stock and broader building stock;
 
   (2) general public safety and public health;
 
   (3) animal welfare related to persons who are experiencing homelessness with their pets, and broader impacts on animal population health in the municipality;
 
   (4) the state of the commercial and business climate in a municipality; and
 
   (5) the broader general welfare of community life in the municipality;
 
   c. Municipalities require additional resources and strategic planning to effectively address homelessness and provide necessary services and supports; and
 
   d. Establishing a dedicated funding source through municipal homelessness trust funds will enable municipalities to implement sustainable and comprehensive strategies to combat homelessness.
 
L.2025, c.348, s.2.