Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $15,664,267 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public housing and HUD-assisted housing in Ohio. Ohio's grants will be distributed to housing authorities and owners of HUD-subsidized housing for low-income families in the following cities:

• Akron........................................$1,199,000
• Ashtabula................................ .....$175,500
• Canton.......................................$1,014,793
• Chillicothe................................... $110,100
• Cincinnati...................................$2,896,966
• Cleveland....................................$2,756,000
• Columbus.......................................$970,500
• Dayton.......................................$2,489,920
• East Liverpool.................................$143,600
• Hamilton.......................................$557,825
• Lima...........................................$322,305
• Lincoln Heights................................$125,000
• Lorain.........................................$379,080
• Newark.........................................$125,000
• Portsmouth.....................................$265,800
• Steubenville...................................$238,200
• Toledo.........................................$814,838
• Warren.........................................$378,560
• Youngstown.....................................$499,980
• Zanesville.....................................$201,300

"These grants are good news for some of the poorest families in Ohio 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."

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.

Another 53 privately owned HUD-subsidized low-income housing developments will receive a total of $11.7 million from a similar program called the New Approach Anti-Drug Program.

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.

The New Approach Anti-Drug Program (formerly known as the Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program) provides funds for improving security at HUD-assisted developments and in surrounding neighborhoods by: hiring security guards, paying for extra police patrols, assisting in the investigation and prosecution of drug-related criminal activity, and implementing security-related physical improvements.

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 OHIO

AKRON

• $1,199,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority for programs to connect the residents to community resources to produce visible results with residents empowered to volunteer and participate in drug prevention, treatment, education, job training, employment and support group participation.

ASHTABULA

• $175,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Ashtabula Metropolitan Housing Authority for programs to address the crime and drug problem through increased law enforcement presence and investigation. Resident participation in a Neighborhood Watch program will assist the police and increase community involvement. Drug counseling and education services and a Community Services Access program will also be included.

CANTON

• $639,857 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund security patrols, investigation and prevention programs as well as case management, scholarships, a summer youth employment program, a transportation service and starting resident owned businesses.

• $249,936 in New Approach Grants will be used to increase the police presence within the Washington School rehabilitation area including Washington Town homes, Hillview and Victory Square Apartments.

• $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

CHILLICOTHE

• $110,100 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Chillicothe Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund a strategy to eliminate drugs and drug-related crime in and around it housing developments. Activities include prevention, education and security.

CINCINNATI

• $1,898,780 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund comprehensive security and law enforcement, children and adolescent academic and childhood development, adult job training and career development and youth sports and recreation programs.

• $250,000 in New Approach grants will be used in the Findlay Market Neighborhood to allow for an array of programs to combat drug-related activities. Activities will focus on law enforcement and drug prevention. Specific actions include increased community policing and the installation of area lighting and surveillance cameras.

• $748,186 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

CLEVELAND

• $2,756,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund comprehensive law enforcement, social services and workforce development resources. The Community Police and innovative narcotics techniques will be used to deter crime. Residents will be assisted toward self-sufficiency with welfare to work" reforms by Empowerment Centers.

COLUMBUS

• $227,500 in New Approach Grants will be used in the Livingston Park neighborhood funding an array of programs to combat drug-related activities. Operations related to law enforcement include an on-site mobile unit, increased police car patrol and supportive services.

• $243,000 in New Approach Grants will be used in the Mapleview Terrace I & II and Colony Terrace I & II developments and surrounding neighborhoods to combat drug-related activities. Funding will provide for 5,500 hours of overtime for police foot patrols over base-line service and overtime investigative services.

• $250,000 in New Approach Grants will be used to eliminate drug-related activities in the South Campus area including Weinland Park, by increasing the community policing presence. Specific actions include increased community policing and the installation of area lighting as deterrents.

• $250,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

DAYTON

• $2,239,920 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund programs involving collaborating with community partners to reduce drug-related crime and other crime in their community.

• $250,000 in New Approach Grants will be used in Northcrest Gardens and surrounding community to allow for an array of programs. Activities will focus on law enforcement and drug prevention. Operations related to law enforcement include provisions for additional police officers and tenant patrols.

EAST LIVERPOOL

• $143,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Columbiana Metropolitan Housing Authority to provide services to two locations, LaBelle Terrace in East Liverpool and Independence Square in Wellsville. Increased security and police presence will be maintained. Prevention and education programs will continue and Family Recovery will provide two intervention specialists. Funding will also be used for a program Coordinator and two education assistants to provide programming and assist in the computer labs at both locations.

HAMILTON

• $338,520 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority to continue the focus of working with resident groups, increasing visible police presence, monitoring drug-related crimes through surveillance methods, and removing the offenders through enforcement of federal and state laws and BMHA rules and regulations.

• $219,305 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

LIMA

• $197,305 in New Approach Grants will be used to reduce drug-related crime and violence through community policing, investigation of complaints and follow-up problem-solving involving area residents of the Northwood Apartments. Operations related to law enforcement include a crime prevention center and COPS on wheels.

• $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

LINCOLN HEIGHTS

• $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

LORAIN

• $379,080 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Lorain Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund continued use of prevention, intervention and counseling programs to provide direct assistance to residents, including both adult and youth programming in an individual and group setting. LMHA will also continue to utilize enhanced community policing patrols, investigators to aid in the identification and conviction of offenders, voluntary tenant patrols, and anti-drug education.

NEWARK

• $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to private landlords of subsidized housing to fight the menace of drugs in their properties.

PORTSMOUTH

• $265,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Portsmouth Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund a comprehensive plan for addressing problems of drug-related crime with programs of prevention, intervention, treatment, aftercare, safety and security designed by residents, community leaders and Housing Authority staff.

STEUBENVILLE

• $238,200 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority to build on its experience, renewing effective prevention strategies at are already in place. These include an extensive program for youth activities, both educational and recreational. Adult residents will play an even more active role in prevention activities. Enhanced lease enforcement and close cooperation with local law enforcement is also part of the plan.

TOLEDO

• $814,838 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority to continue its comprehensive model to prepare residents for self-sufficiency using four components: (1) The Community Oriented Policing Program. (2) New Connecting Point-individual and group counseling. (3) Transportation, athletic and educational enrichment programs. (4) Tutorial program.

WARREN

• $378,560 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund programs affecting over 600 low income families in four public housing developments. This plan displays a partnership between the resident, the PHA, law enforcement, private and public entities and HUD, in the fight against drugs.

YOUNGSTOWN

• $499,980 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund a comprehensive and multi-faceted program to reduce violent crimes, drug trafficking, and drug-related crimes through additional police patrols, security, and resident patrols. A broad range of on-site drug prevention, intervention and treatment services and activities will assist the residents of the targeted developments in improving their quality of life.

ZANESVILLE

• $201,300 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Zanesville Metropolitan Housing Authority to fund programs to reduce drug and criminal related activity, maintain and increase working relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, empower residents, and increase the quality of life.