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HUD Archives: News Releases
HUD No. 98-534 |
Further Information: | For Release |
In the Washington, DC area: 202/708-0685 | Monday |
Or contact your local HUD office | October 26, 1998 |
CUOMO AWARDS ALMOST $16 MILLION IN GRANTS TO FIGHT DRUGS
AND CRIME IN PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING IN CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING $880,820 FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $15,988,123 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public housing and HUD-assisted housing in California, including $880,820 for Los Angeles County.
California's grants will be distributed to housing authorities and owners of HUD-subsidized housing for low-income families in the following jurisdictions:
Alameda |
$50,000 |
Oxnard |
$234,000 |
All Mission IHA/Escondido |
$339,098 |
Richmond |
$251,400 |
Bakersfield |
$286,500 |
Round Valley IHA |
$50,000 |
Brawley |
$153,300 |
Sacramento City |
$1,157,049 |
Calexico |
$215,600 |
Sacramento County |
$336,729 |
Contra Costa County |
$336,900 |
San Bernardino |
$882,810 |
Eureka |
$118,770 |
San Diego |
$486,140 |
Fresno |
$1,012,200 |
San Francisco |
$3,049,290 |
Karuk Tribe HA |
$50,000 |
San Luis Obispo |
$135,100 |
Los Angeles City |
$2,504,140 |
Santa Barbara City |
$295,720 |
Los Angeles County |
$880,820 |
Santa Barbara Cnty |
$392,814 |
Madera |
$130,000 |
Stanislaus County |
$194,100 |
Marin County |
$148,800 |
Stockton |
$322,500 |
Merced County |
$220,443 |
Sun Valley |
$250,000 |
Monterey County |
$411,300 |
Ventura County |
$105,300 |
Oakland |
$858,000 |
Yolo County |
$129,300 |
HUD Secretary's Representative Art Agnos, made the announcement on Cuomo's behalf at a news conference with Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, Congressman Matthew Martinez, and Carlos Jackson, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles.
"These grants are good news for some of the poorest families in California 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 that President Clinton's recent signature on 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.
DRUG ELIMINATION GRANTS FOR CALIFORNIA
ALAMEDA
$50,000 for the City of Alameda Housing Authority's Crime Prevention Partnership Program - a comprehensive, three-pronged strategy to attack drug use and drug-related crime at the Esperanza public housing complex. The strategy consists of aggressive community policing; after-school and summer youth services, with an emphasis on academic performance and drug resistance; and achieving economic independence for residents.
ALL MISSION INDIAN HOUSING AUTHORITY OF ESCONDIDO
$339,098 for two grants to allow the All Mission Indian Housing Authority of Escondido to implement a comprehensive, community-based approach to reduce and eliminate drug abuse and drug-related crime on member reservations. The programs will utilize law enforcement and tribal agencies, and non-profit organizations to implement drug prevention education, job training programs for youth and adults, and to provide employment opportunities. In addition, sports and recreation activities will be funded to provide young people alternatives to drug abuse and possible gang activity.
BAKERSFIELD
$286,500 to the Housing Authority of the County of Kern for a comprehensive security and preventive-based approach to reduce and eliminate drug and gang-related criminal activity in public housing communities. The program includes hiring of local law enforcement officers, Housing Authority investigators and implementation of Neighborhood Watch programs.
BRAWLEY
$153,300 for the Imperial Valley Housing Authority's operation of a drug prevention program called "Reaching for Success." The program encourages safer, healthier communities and includes a mentoring program to provide positive role models for young people and educates young people about the world of work.
CALEXICO
$125,000 to allow the Calexico Gardens Apartments to offer a host of drug prevention, intervention programs and services. The program includes supplemental security and protective services, anti-drug education workshops, drug abuse counseling, parenting skill classes, and fitness and recreational programs.
$90,600 for the Housing Authority of the City of Calexico to enable the Housing Authority to continue services vital to the effort to encourage a drug-free lifestyle. The funds will be used for the following activities: to pay for local law enforcement security and protective services, community policing, and drug prevention and intervention programs.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
$336,900 to the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa for a partnership with residents and community-based organizations to enhance a drug program in North Richmond and in Rodeo. The program includes: community policing to reduce drug trafficking; on-site accessible referrals for outpatient drug treatment; economic self-sufficiency activities, including basic skills classes, computer training, jobs and job search training, and children's educational development.
EUREKA
$118,770 from two grants to the City of Eureka Housing Authority for a program to utilize a Community Police Services Officer under contract with the City Police Department to provide patrols and implement a community-based approach to reduce and eliminate drug-related crime. In addition, the grant will allow for an on-site Boys and Girls Club youth services and recreation program. Law enforcement activity will include foot and bicycle patrols and vehicle surveillance to stem the incidence of drug and related criminal activities.
FRESNO
$637,200 for the Housing Authority of the City and County of Fresno's effort to provide supplemental law enforcement in West, Central and East Fresno, Orange Cove, Laton and Del Rey. The program will also allow the Boys and Girls Clubs to provide drug prevention programs. The Housing Authority also works with the local, state and federal governments, non-profit organizations and local businesses to ensure that public housing residents have access to programs which encourage self-sufficiency.
$250,000 in funding under the New Approach Anti-Drug program to reduce crime and improve resident security in the Martin Luther King Square Apartments and the surrounding Southwest Fresno neighborhood.
$125,000 in an additional Multifamily Drug Elimination Grant for a variety of drug prevention and intervention initiatives at Martin Luther King Square Apartments, a property owned by King of Kings Housing Development Corporation.
KARUK TRIBE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF HAPPY CAMP
$50,000 to the Karuk Tribe Housing Authority for a comprehensive drug prevention program to reduce drug-related crime in three communities. In Orleans, motion sensor lighting will be installed on houses; in Happy Camp, a resident baseball team will be funded and "talking circles" coordinated, and in Yreka funds will be allocated for the coordination of a volunteer resident patrol, talking circles, and a youth baseball team.
LOS ANGELES
$2,129,140 will go toward the for the continuation of the City of Los Angeles Housing Authority's programs to combat drugs at targeted housing developments and for the introduction of services at William Mead Homes in 2000. The Housing Authority's grants go toward providing law enforcement and security services and social service programs at targeted developments.
$250,000 to provide law enforcement officers from the Los Angeles Police Department and FBI with a substation within the neighborhood surrounding the LA Gardens Community Apartments housing project.
$125,000 to the LA Gardens Community Association under the Multifamily Housing Drug Elimination Program. The Association will operate a Family Resource Program at Los Angeles Gardens Apartments (five scattered sites). The grant will fund truancy prevention and tutoring programs, provide for drug prevention seminars and will allow staff to offer employment, training and referral services. Recreational programs for youth will also be offered.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
$755,820 to enable the Housing Authority of Los Angeles County to continue social services and supplemental law enforcement services by providing $188,955 at each of the following locations: Nueva Maravilla in East Los Angeles; Carmelitos in Long Beach; Harbor Hills in the City of Lomita, and 36 smaller housing sites in South Los Angeles County. This is the eight Drug Elimination Grant the Housing Authority has won since 1990.
$125,000 under the Multifamily Housing Drug Elimination Program to continue operation of a Family Resource Center at Ujima Village, a housing development owned and operated by the Community Development Commission/Housing Authority of Los Angeles County. The staff will operate an alternative school, truancy prevention and tutoring programs, conduct drug prevention seminars and operate employment and training and referral services. Recreational programs for youth will also be offered.
MADERA
$130,000 to the City of Madera Housing Authority to continue its comprehensive prevention approach for residents. The program addresses individual and family relationships, peer relationships, and community structure. The program aim is to create a community with less drug-related crime. Included in the strategy is a Community Policing Program designed to protect public housing communities against drug-related crime and drug usage.
MARIN COUNTY
$148,800 for the County of Marin Housing Authority's Drug Elimination program to continue the Sheriff's community policing efforts; operate a multi-service Community Recovery Center; expand the on-site Campus of Learning Center; provide instrumental music and performing arts classes with opportunities to perform; offer instructional and recreational events providing youth with constructive, healthy alternatives to drugs, and strengthening the collaborative process among providers and residents.
MERCED COUNTY
$220,443 to the Housing Authority of the County of Merced to continue and expand upon the current drug elimination strategy involving law enforcement efforts, improved management, and a combination of drug prevention, intervention, and referral programs. This is a collaborative program, involving public and private agencies.
MONTEREY COUNTY
$411,300 for two grants to the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey to supplement Weed and Seed activities, provide services to help youth resist gang activities, and drug prevention activities. The grants will also fund community partnerships, including community policing, increased code enforcement, youth activities and family services. The second grant will allow the Housing Authority to contract with the Salinas Police Department for overtime officers to conduct crime sweeps and help combat open air drug markets. The Authority will also hire staff to provide referrals and outreach to residents to reduce drug use.
OAKLAND
$858,000 for the Oakland Housing Authority to fund a comprehensive approach to solving the drug-related crime problems in and around large public housing developments. The components of the program include: community policing, a Community-Oriented Policing Technology Implementation Program (Coptip), and supportive services and community services through the Boys and Girls Club and Asian Community Mental Health Services.
OXNARD
$234,000 for the Housing Authority of the City of Oxnard to fund a comprehensive drug elimination strategy, including community and local government efforts, programs in prevention, intervention and treatment. A teen parent program, computer training, a tutorial program, economic development, additional police services, a tenant patrol, on-site drug counseling, parent training, and sports and recreational activities are key elements of the strategy.
RICHMOND
$251,400 to fund the City of Richmond Housing Authority's comprehensive drug prevention and treatment referral services with a goal of reducing and eliminating drug-related crime. The Greater Richmond Social Services, the YMCA, Richmond PAL, Neighborhood House of North Richmond, the Parent Education Center, and West Contra Costa Unified School District will collaborate on the South Richmond Prevention Project.
ROUND VALLEY INDIAN HOUSING AUTHORITY OF COVELO
$50,000 for the Round Valley Indian Housing Authority's collaborative drug prevention efforts involving the School District, Indian Health/Education Projects, and the Yuki Trains Substance Abuse Center. The program involves academic, recreational, cultural, health and substance resistive activities. Efforts will focus on adolescent development, drug/alcohol abuse resistive skills, youth leadership and self-esteem building exercises.
SACRAMENTO
$1,032,049 for two grants to the Sacramento City Housing and Redevelopment Agency. One grant will provide additional law enforcement officers and drug prevention activities for scattered-site public housing residents and neighbors of the Meadowview community. The goal is to prevent the entry of drugs and drug-related crime into the community. The second grant will fund empowerment programs for youth and young adults, a computer training and a job placement training program. These programs are key elements in a long-range strategy to eliminate drug-related crime in public housing communities.
$125,000 in Multifamily Drug Elimination Grants to Florin Gardens Cooperative East, a 112-unit development in South Sacramento. Programs to be funded include: academic achievement classes for school children, the purchase of educational software, intensive drug diversion, after-school programs. Also provided will be seminar workshops, including: parenting skills, senior empowerment, HIV and drug prevention, employment training, increased outreach programs, G.E.D. classes, and basic learning skills for adults. In addition, the grant will fund new security lighting and fencing to address serious security problems.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY
$336,729 to fund the Sacramento County Housing and Redevelopment Agency's drug elimination program, including the reinstatement of a neighborhood police officer team at the Dos Rios development. The neighborhood police are an important part of the residents' and Housing Authority's effort to implement the second phase of a long range, comprehensive drug elimination strategy.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
$882,810 for the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino to fund a comprehensive "weed and seed" approach to rid public housing communities of drug and drug-related crime activity. Four law enforcement agencies will work to "weed out" those residents who use or tolerate drugs or drug abuse in their communities. An array of service providers will also offer prevention, drug intervention and treatment services to assist residents and help keep drugs out of these communities.
SAN DIEGO
$361,140 to the San Diego Housing Commission (operating as the Housing Authority) to fund a community-oriented policing and drug prevention and intervention approach to reduce and eliminate drug-related crime. The agency will contract with the local police department for community policing services. A local university will provide educational programs for youth. The Housing Commission will operate five "Learning Opportunity Centers," a youth gang and drug intervention/prevention program, and offer recreational programs in collaboration with the San Diego County YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs.
$125,000 will to the University Canyon North Apartments, operated by the San Diego Housing Commission, to continue three drug prevention programs and establish three new programs. These activities include the continuation of the Learning Center, the on-site Computer Center and Resident Council development, as well as the development of a youth drug and gang diversion/prevention program , recreation programs and physical improvements to enhance security at the complex.
SAN FRANCISCO
$3,049,290 to the San Francisco Housing Authority to implement a comprehensive, two-year strategy developed through extensive collaboration and partnerships with public housing residents, community-based organizations and city, state, and federal agencies.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
$135,100 for the Housing Authority of the City of San Luis Obispo to implement a comprehensive prevention and intervention program to address drug-related problems which in its 14 public housing developments. The program, building on the Housing Authority's very successful Children's Work Incentive and Family Self-Sufficiency programs, will stress educational and economic opportunities as well as enhanced family and support services.
SANTA BARBARA
$148,120 in funding for the Ladera Street Apartments will be used to implement a comprehensive, collaborative crime and drug program, including security and lighting and a police drop-in center in a high crime area of the city of Santa Barbara.
$147, 600 for the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara's comprehensive, multi-agency prevention/intervention program designed to reduce or eliminate drug related violent crime. In addition, the Housing Authority will provide work-related training programs and job placement to lead residents toward self-sufficiency. The creation of a Family Self-Sufficiency Learning Center will provide community-based service delivery to all residents.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
$392,814 for the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara's "Stop Drug Activity" programs. The program will allow the agency, based in Lompoc, to contract for security guards for the Evans Park complex in Santa Maria; to coordinate with the local police departments, community-based organizations and educational institutions to provide drug prevention, education, and intervention, and to implement new security measures and the Neighborhood Watch program. In addition, a Community Learning Center will be provided at Evans Park and the Housing Authority will place state-of-the-art computers in three public housing developments located in Guadalupe, Goleta and Lompoc. The computers will enable young people and adults opportunities to learn basic computer skills and the opportunity to receive assistance with school work. Resident councils in each development will be responsible for the operation of after-school programs.
STANISLAUS COUNTY
$194,100 for the County of Stanislaus Housing Authority's Drug Elimination Program providing on-site law enforcement, community organization, resident involvement and community support services to build an environment in targeted housing developments to provide sound alternatives drug abuse and drug-related crime. The Authority, based in Modesto, will combine law enforcement, intervention, physical improvements and prevention program components to help residents and families become drug, gang, and crime-free.
STOCKTON
$322,500 to continue the Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin's Public Housing Drug Elimination Program. The effort consists of community policing, drug awareness and prevention activities, youth sports programs and other educational, cultural, and welfare-to-work initiatives.
SUN VALLEY
$250,000 to provide law enforcement personnel for Sun Valley police and FBI with a substation at the Casa Development Apartments and the surrounding neighborhood.
VENTURA COUNTY
$105,300 to the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura for new and continued partnerships with law enforcement, adult education, and youth activity providers. The program includes a continued police presence, expanded security services, youth activity programs, and resident educational and vocational opportunities.
YOLO COUNTY
$129, 300 to the Housing Authority of the County of Yolo in Woodland for the continuation and expansion of current drug elimination efforts. The Housing Authority's program includes additional security, a computer lab, sports activities and welfare-to-work initiatives.
Content Archived: January 20, 2009
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