Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $1,823,250 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public housing and HUD-assisted housing in Bridgeport, Decatur, Florence, Huntsville, Scottsboro, Sheffield and Stevenson, AL.

The grants will be distributed to housing authorities and owners of HUD-subsidized housing for low-income families in the following way:

• Bridgeport ...................................$50,000
• Decatur.........................................$352,400
• Florence.......................................$197,700
• Huntsville.....................................$951,150
• Scottsboro....................................$94,800
• Sheffield.......................................$123,600
• Stevenson.....................................$53,600

Cuomo made the announcement in a satellite TV news conference from Washington with Congressman Bud Cramer, who represents the cities.

The grants will be distributed to housing authorities and the owners of HUD-subsidized housing for low-income families.

"These grants are good news for some of the poorest families in Bridgeport, Decatur, Florence, Huntsville, Scottsboro, Sheffield and Stevenson, and bad news for drug dealers who terrorize them," Cuomo said. "We will fight drug abuse with prevention and treatment programs and with a crackdown on drug dealers and other criminals. We are telling drug dealers in HUD housing to find another line of work or be sent to another type of subsidized housing - a prison cell."

Congressman Cramer said: "This is fantastic news for North Alabama. These funds will make a tremendous difference in fighting crime and reducing drug activity in our public housing developments. This is a tremendous example of how our local communities and the federal government can work together to make a real difference to the community at large."

Cramer added: "I want to thank Secretary Cuomo for his interest and commitment to this issue. I want to say a special thanks to our city officials who worked so hard to make these grants possible. This is an outstanding partnership and we are going to keep working together to build better communities and strengthen families."

Cuomo said the recent Congressional approval of the Department's $24.5 billion budget for the 1999 fiscal year, which he called "the best HUD budget in 10 years," will speed the transformation of public and assisted housing.

"HUD is transforming public housing from isolated ghettos of poverty, drugs, despair and crime into safe and economically integrated communities of opportunity," Cuomo said.

Nationwide, HUD is awarding $305.2 million in Drug Elimination Grants this year - more than in any previous year. The grants will be distributed in the next several weeks in this way: $280.6 million to 749 public housing authorities; $8 million to 39 Indian Tribes; and $16.6 million to 143 privately owned housing developments that receive HUD assistance.

Vice President Al Gore, Cuomo and Attorney General Janet Reno announced a four-part enforcement and prevention strategy to fight crime and drugs in public housing in June 1997. The grants announced today are one element of that strategy.

The Drug Elimination Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, based on the seriousness of the drug and crime problem facing a housing authority or assisted housing development, and the strength of local plans to address the problem. About 900 housing authorities, 60 Indian tribes and 500 privately owned housing developments applied for the grants being awarded this year.

HUD has awarded more than $1.6 billion in Drug Elimination Grants since 1989, including the grants being awarded this year.

In public housing, the Drug Elimination Grants are used for: drug prevention, intervention and treatment programs; reimbursing law enforcement agencies for providing additional security; hiring security guards and investigators; resident anti-crime patrols; and physical improvements to housing developments to enhance security - such as fencing, lighting and improved locks.

In assisted housing, the Drug Elimination Grants are used for: drug prevention and education programs; referrals to drug treatment and counseling; and physical improvements to developments to enhance security. Individual grants for assisted housing developments are limited to a maximum of $125,000.

HUD's budget for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 increases funding for HUD's key programs and renewals of Section 8 rental assistance by a total of more than $2 billion in the budget over 1998 levels. Spending was increased on most HUD programs and wasn't cut in any programs.

Legislation passed in the same bill as HUD's budget will:

• Transform public housing by reducing segregation by race and income, encouraging and rewarding work, bringing more working families into public housing, and increasing the availability of subsidized housing for very poor families. In addition, the bill improves living conditions in public housing, gives the poorest families neighbors who will be role models of working families, and reduces crime. The bill also allows HUD to continue to tear down the largest failed public housing projects and replace them with new townhouse-style developments.

• Expand the supply of affordable housing by enabling 90,000 more families to get Section 8 rental assistance vouchers that will subsidize their rents in privately owned apartments - the first increase in vouchers in four years.

• Increase homeownership by raising the limit on home mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration from the current range of $86,317 in low-cost housing areas to $170,362 in high-cost areas. The bill increases the loan limits to a range of $109,032 in low-cost areas to $197,621 in high-cost areas. The higher ceiling on FHA-insured home mortgages opens the door of homeownership to thousands of families needing FHA insurance to get mortgages, but locked out now because the current loan limits have not kept pace with rising home prices.

HUD ANTI-DRUG ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES IN BRIDGEPORT, DECATUR, FLORENCE, HUNTSVILLE, SCOTTSBORO, SHEFFIELD AND STEVENSON, ALABAMA

BRIDGEPORT

• $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Bridgeport Housing Authority to implement a comprehensive security and prevention-based program designed to reduce drugs and drug-related crime in its public housing communities.

DECATUR

• $227,400 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Decatur Housing Authority to reduce illegal drug use and drug-related crime in four Decatur Housing Authority developments. OUR TEAM AGAINST CRIME will combine efforts of the residents, DHA staff police, and community agencies to develop additional programs to strengthen families and community through law enforcement, education, prevention, and intervention activities. At-risk youth will be a special focus to help them avoid gang and drug activity.

• $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Stonegate Village assisted housing development for drug prevention, intervention and education. Cameras, motion detection lighting and vandal proof breezeway lights will be installed in the development to increase security. Partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club and Community Youth Awareness have been formed. The education component includes a partnership with the school system to educate children about drugs.

FLORENCE

• $197,700 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Florence Housing Authority to combat drugs and drug-related crime in public housing communities. The program will include community police, four Boys and Girls Club programs, resident programs, youth sports, child development and an elderly empowerment program -- including arts and crafts, volunteer service and a youth intervention program.

HUNTSVILLE

• $951,150 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Huntsville Housing Authority to THE Working to Inspire New Goals and Successes program to reduce illegal drug use and drug-related crime in four Huntsville Housing Authority developments. Funds will be used to increase community policing and to develop additional programs to strengthen the families and community through law enforcement, education, prevention and intervention activities. Special focus will be on at-risk youth to help them avoid gang and drug activity.

SCOTTSBORO

• $94,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Scottsboro Housing Authority to MAKING A DIFFERENCE, a comprehensive plan designed to eliminate the criminal element from public housing and to provide the residents opportunities for alternative lifestyles and improve their life skills. The Police Department offers the Junior Deputy Program, and REAP (Recreational, Educational, Activities Program). The Park & Recreation Board offers after-school programs and special programs for students.

SHEFFIELD

• $123,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Sheffield Housing Authority to reduce drug-related crimes. Police patrols will be used to combat drug trafficking. Trespassers will be identified by checking picture ID's of residents of Long Lowe Apartments. Residents will also display housing authority decals on their motor vehicles for identification.

STEVENSON

• $53,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Stevenson Housing Authority to eliminate drugs and crime from public housing. The Michael Scott Learning Center provides opportunities to youth to expand their learning capabilities. Tutoring, reading and other activities are offered year round.