Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $4,791,250 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public housing and HUD-assisted housing in Mississippi.

Mississippi's grants will be distributed to housing authorities and owners of HUD-subsidized housing for low-income families in the following cities:

• Aberdeen ----- $131,000
• Bay St. Louis ----- $50,000
• Brookhaven ----- $262,400
• Clarksdale ----- $148,000
• Columbus ----- $259,950
• Corinth ----- $264,000
• Greenwood ----- $324,800
• Hattiesburg ----- $148,000
• Holly Springs ----- $100,000
• Itta Bena ----- $97,000
• Jackson ----- $373,700
• Kosciusko ----- $50,000
• Laurel ----- $448,900
• Louisville ----- $80,000
• Lumberton ----- $50,000
• McComb ----- $180,500
• Natchez ----- $236,800
• Newton ----- $424,300
• Oxford ----- $63,600
• Philadelphia ----- $251,100
• Picayune ----- $106,200
• Senatobia ----- $50,000
• Starkville ----- $72,600
• Tupelo ----- $122,100
• Vicksburg ----- $129,000
• Waveland ----- $48,500
• West Point ----- $180,800
• Winona ----- $51,000
• Yazoo City ----- $87,000

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

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 MISSISSIPPI

• Aberdeen: $131,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Aberdeen Housing Authority for a comprehensive program designed to reduce the use of drugs and drug-related crimes. The programs include after school tutoring, ABE/GED instruction, summer day camps and drug prevention literature.

• Bay St. Louis: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Bay St. Louis Housing Authority to prevent drug use and drug-related crimes. The program includes motivational self-esteem programs, computer training, and literacy and employment programs. Work will continue with the police department and Hancock Community Task Force to Save Our Children.

• Brookhaven: $262,400 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Brookhaven Housing Authority to implement a comprehensive security and preventive approach to reduce and eliminate drug-related crime. The program will provide family and support services, law enforcement, youth activities, and adult education classes.

• Clarksdale: $148,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Clarksdale Housing Authority to utilize special patrols, educational drug prevention programs and physical improvements to the grounds. Some of the programs will take a direct approach to education, other programs will focus on recreation.

  Columbus:

  • $116,550 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. IV to employ security personnel to monitor drug activities and loitering by non-residents. Computer Learning Centers will provide tutoring for youth and adult residents, and a teen pregnancy prevention program will be implemented to reduce teen pregnancy and increase self-esteem.

  • $143,400 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Columbus Housing Authority to provide additional protective services and to build on their current drug prevention programs geared toward youth, adults, and the elderly through drug education lessons, and cultural and recreational activities.

• Corinth: $264,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Corinth Housing Authority to provide additional patrols in targeted areas. The Housing Authority will partner with the Boys and Girls Club, The Boy and Girl Scouts, Project Clean Sweep, Summer Aviation Program and the Literacy Council to provide job and educational training opportunities for the residents. The Housing Authority will staff all community centers to provide activities for youth and to train adult residents in job preparation and small business ownership.

• Greenwood: $324,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Greenwood Housing Authority to reduce and eliminate drug-related crime. Security services will provide stationary and mobile foot patrols to combat drug trafficking and other crime. An after-school program will provide services in education, drug prevention, cultural, employment and life skills training.

• Hattiesburg: $148,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Hattiesburg Housing Authority to implement a comprehensive drug elimination program that will encompass 296 public housing units. The program will allow for the continuation of the Family Network Partnership and improve the ongoing after-school program offered by Aldersgate for Briarfield residents.

• Holly Springs: $100,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Holly Springs Housing Authority to reduce and eliminate drug-related crime from targeted areas. Strategic fencing, landscaping and lighting will be installed to control the flow of pedestrian traffic in the developments and discourage loitering and trespassing.

• Itta Bena: $97,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Itta Bena Housing Authority to fund drug elimination efforts that involve individuals, the community, and local government. The programs will focus on youth and adults, and include protective services, after-school homework and tutoring programs.

  Jackson:

  • $118,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. VI to continue increased law enforcement through officers located at the on-site police substation. The funds will equip police patrols and provide physical improvements, including fencing and lighting that will cut off an escape route commonly used by drug dealers. Drug prevention activities will include education, recreation and cultural activities for children and adults. An Advisory Board will be responsible for developing, coordinating, communicating and evaluating the diverse programs.

  • $149,400 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Jackson Housing Authority to combat problems with drug use and drug-related crime; activity. Security will be provided seven days a week and education in life skills and job training including placement will be provided.

  • $106,300 will be used to fund drug prevention programs, security services, parenting classes, an after-school program, computer training, and life skills development at Rebel Wood Apartments, a Jackson multifamily housing development.

• Kosciusko: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Attala County Housing Authority to prevent drugs and drug-related crime in targeted areas. Private Security will be hired to patrol walk-throughs, and resident watch and drug prevention activities, including education and training, will be implemented.

• Laurel: $448,900 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Laurel Housing Authority to reduce drug-related crime. The programs to be initiated include prevention, security, and self-sufficiency programs.

• Louisville: $80,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Louisville Housing Authority to eliminate drugs and drug-related crime in targeted areas. The focus will be on education and training programs for parents on drug prevention, substance abuse workshops, youth activities and security.

• Lumberton: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Lumberton Housing Authority to prevent and eliminate drugs through education and economic development activities.

• McComb: $180,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the McComb Housing Authority to reduce drug-related crime through security patrols. A Drug Education Coordinator will work with residents, police, Boys & Girls Clubs, Housing Authority staff, and other local agencies.

• Natchez: $236,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Natchez Housing Authority to eliminate drug related crime in targeted areas. The program will be educational and recreational and is designed to offer alternatives to gang and drug related activities. Resident and police patrols will be used to combat open drug trafficking in a zero tolerance environment.

• Newton: $424,300 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No.V to continue the employment of their drug elimination coordinator and investigator, provide additional law enforcement, fund nonprofit organizations that nurture at-risk children, establish computer learning centers for self-improvement and provide sports activities in targeted areas. Security fencing also will be installed.

• Oxford: $63,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Oxford Housing Authority to continue contracting for security patrols. The officers will be housed at on-site police substations.

• Philadelphia: $251,100 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Choctaw Housing Authority to operate a comprehensive program to reduce drug abuse and drug-related crime through in-home family based intervention activities, individualized treatment and counseling.

• Picayune: $106,200 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Picayune Housing Authority to prevent drug abuse. The focus will include hiring additional off-duty police officers, developing Neighborhood Watch, providing drug education, counseling, referrals to treatment, after-care, education and employment opportunities, providing life skills, and conflict resolution.

• Senatobia: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Senatobia Housing Authority to prevent drug abuse. Prevention activities are geared towards providing skills for adults, and prevention activities for children, including after-school programs and summer camp.

• Starkville: $72,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Starkville Housing Authority to prevent drug use by increasing security personnel, child care, tutorials, youth employment, and cultural enrichment services in targeted areas.

• Tupelo: $122,100 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Tupelo Housing Authority to continue the comprehensive drug elimination program. The program includes family and

• Vicksburg: $129,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Vicksburg Housing Authority for private security to control drugs and criminal activities. Additionally a computer lab program for residents in conjunction with the community college will offer hands-on training in computer basics.

• Waveland: $48,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Waveland Housing Authority to develop a network of resources to attack the root causes of drug abuse.

• West Point: $180,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the West Point Housing Authority to eliminate drug-related crime in targeted areas. Partners in this effort include East Mississippi Community College and Certified Development Specialists who will help bridge the path from drug abuse to a drug free future.

• Winona: $51,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Winona Housing Authority to contract with police to patrol its developments and provide drug and crime workshops for children and adults. Security equipment will be installed to improve police effectiveness and deter crime and violence. Residents will participate in National Crime Prevention conferences and team project meetings, with the goal of developing resident-initiated strategies for combating crime and drug use. Other educational and recreational activities will complete the initiative.

• Yazoo City: $87,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Yazoo City Housing Authority to eliminate drug-related crimes in targeted areas. The program will expand security patrol by the local police department and provide drug prevention activities for youth, including a summer youth enrichment program.