Section 1.     DECLARATION AND FINDINGS; TERMINATION.

1.   The legislature hereby finds that a serious public emergency
     continues to exist in the housing of a considerable number
     of persons in the state of New York which emergency was
     created by war, the effects of war and the aftermath of
     hostilities; that such emergency necessitated the
     intervention of federal, state and local government in order
     to prevent speculative, unwarranted and abnormal increases
     in rents; that there continues to exist an acute shortage of
     dwellings; that unless residential rents and evictions
     continue to be regulated and controlled, disruptive
     practices and abnormal conditions will produce serious
     threats to the public health, safety and general welfare;
     that to prevent such perils to health, safety and welfare,
     preventive action by the legislature continues to be
     imperative; that such action is necessary in order to
     prevent exactions of unjust, unreasonable and oppressive
     rents and rental agreements and to forestall profiteering,
     speculation and other disruptive practices tending to
     produce threats to the public health; that the transition
     from regulation to a normal market of free bargaining
     between landlord and tenant, while still the objective of
     state policy, must be administered with due regard for such
     emergency; that in order to prevent uncertainty, hardship
     and dislocation, the provisions of this act are declared to
     be necessary and designed to protect the public health,
     safety and general welfare.

2.   The provisions of this act, and all regulations, orders and
     requirements thereunder shall remain in full force and
     effect until and including June 15, 1997.