HUD STEPS
UP CRACKDOWN ON CRIME,
ILLEGAL DRUGS IN PUBLIC HOUSING

The investigation that led to the arrests was launched by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, working with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, Cuomo said.

"President Clinton is sending a clear message that drug dealers will not be allowed to terrorize law-abiding families who live in HUD-assisted housing," Cuomo said. "We have a simple warning for drug dealers who use HUD housing to sell their poison: get out or get caught."

"The only taxpayer-funded housing that drug dealers are entitled to is a prison cell -- and we will put them there," Cuomo said.

Barry R. McCaffrey, White House National Drug Policy Director, said: "HUD and Secretary Cuomo are to be commended for this aggressive operation to protect families from drug dealers in HUD housing. HUD's anti-drug efforts are a national model of federal-local anti-drug partnership."

Eric H. Holder Jr., United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, said: "This program is a terrific example of how cooperation among federal agencies and local law enforcement organizations can dramatically improve the lives of our citizens. We are fully committed to rooting out and prosecuting the drug dealers who terrorize our public housing developments, and who spread suffering and fear among their fellow residents."

Cuomo said HUD will step up its efforts to work directly with local U.S. Attorneys' Offices, police departments, DEA, and residents on drug prevention as well as enforcement initiatives.

In addition, HUD will strictly enforce President Clinton's "One Strike and You're Out" policy in public housing, Cuomo said. The policy is designed to keep drug dealers and violent criminals from moving into public housing and to evict those already there.

"I want to commend the Department of Housing and Urban Development for launching this important initiative," Holder said, "and I want to warn those criminals who prey on public housing developments that we will do whatever it takes to track them down and lock them up."

"The kind of cooperation that the Washington, D.C. operation demonstrated, with participation by the Washington, D.C. police, the U.S. Attorney, the DEA, and other agencies together with HUD, is why the federal-state-local High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program funded by ONDCP is so important," McCaffrey said. "With bipartisan congressional support, the President's $140 million budget request for FY '98 will fund 15 HIDTA's across the nation, increasing law enforcement efficiency and effectiveness against drug criminals."

Launched in February 1994, HUD's anti-drug and anti-crime initiative is part of President Clinton's Anti-Crime Initiative and combines the resources of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to identify and follow through on cases involving drugs and violent crimes, outstanding arrest warrants, and parole violations in and around public housing developments.

As a result of the HUD program, more than 10,000 people have been arrested, and 1,200 weapons and $2 million in cash has been seized.

The latest anti-drug effort consisted of a drug raid Thursday in Washington, D.C.'s Brooklyn Manor, a HUD-assisted housing development in the northeast section of the city. Through the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office, Metropolitan Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and HUD, 21 alleged drug dealers were arrested and $9,000 worth of crack cocaine and heroin was seized.