Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $5,884,962 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public and HUD-assisted housing in Michigan. Michigan's grants will be distributed to housing authorities and owners of HUD-subsidized housing for low-income families in the following cities:

• Ann Arbor.......................................…………….$108,600
• Benton Harbor...............................……………..$185,000
• Detroit……………………………………………$2,141,840
• Ecorse…………………………………………….$110,000
• Ferndale………………………………………….$125,000
• Flint………………………………………………$873,800
• Grand Rapids……………………………………$357,509
• Grand Traverse Band……………………………$50,000
• Inkster………………………….…………………$256,000
• Kalamazoo………………………………………..$109,730
• Lansing……………………………………………$125,000
• Pontiac…………………………….………………$589,183
• Port Huron………………………………………..$132,000
• River Rouge………………………………………$240,000
• Saginaw…………………………………………..$180,600
• Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians…..$128,700
• Ypsilanti……………………………………….…$172,000

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

HUD ANTI-DRUG ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN

• ANN ARBOR: $108,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Ann Arbor Housing Commission for programs to reduce and eliminate drug related crimes. The Housing Commission will provide programs related to prevention and reduction in an effort to nurture healthy vibrant neighborhoods.

• BENTON HARBOR: $185,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Benton Harbor Housing Commission for programs to provide drug prevention services. The Housing Commission will participate in a "Weed and Seed" partnership involving the FBI, police and local agencies.

• DETROIT: $1,516,840 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Detroit Housing Commission for programs to fight drug-related crime through increased law enforcement with the Housing Support Section, a unit of the City's police department. Another $375,000 in Drug Elimination Grants and $250,000 from the New Approach Anti-Drug program will go to private landlords of subsidized housing.

• ECORSE: $110,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Ecorse Housing Commission to continue the MOP (Maintain Our Progress) program which will provide residents with the confidence and sustainability to continue to fight against unwanted crime and drug related activities.

• FERNDALE: $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Oakdale Cooperative to implement Project R.I.D. - Resident Involvement against Drugs. The funds will also be used to address parenting skills relating to drug education, counseling and a prevention program for children.

• FLINT: $748,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Flint Housing Commission for programs such as a Computer Learning Center, the New Visions Village Project, and increased security. Another $125,000 will go to the owners of Stonegate Manor Coop for physical improvements, including security lighting, drug education and a Youth Employability Skills Program.

• GRAND RAPIDS: $357,509 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Grand Rapids Housing Commission for programs such as computer learning; physical improvement for defensible space and a job training center.

• GRAND TRAVERSE BAND: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Grand Traverse Band Housing Authority of Suttons Bay for programs to provide early intervention with youth to show the negative impact drugs and substance abuse has on them and their families.

• INKSTER: $256,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Inkster Housing Commission for programs to include community policing at local mini-station, development of auxiliary enforcement, Police Athletic League for youth, and unit alarms and other physical improvements for the provision of greater security.

• KALAMAZOO: $109,730 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Interfaith Homes of Kalamazoo to provide an educational program, Prevention Works, aimed at reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Interfaith Homes will also install security cameras; fencing; reconfigure the entry to the project and install exterior door lighting.

• LANSING: $125,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to Capitol Commons Limited Partnership to install additional exterior lighting, update the building entry security system, and implement a Neighborhood Network Computer Learning Center.

• PONTIAC: $488,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Pontiac Housing Commission for programs to combat drug-related crime through partnerships with local law enforcement agencies and through the implementation of various drug prevention activities. These include: self-sufficiency programs and a computer-based learning center. Another $100,683 will go to the private owners of the Turtle Creek housing development for the installation of security doors on all units, to enhance common-areas lighting, and install a security gate. Funds will also go toward drug and alcohol prevention and life skills programs.

• PORT HURON: $132,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Port Huron Housing Commission for programs to provide increased community policing, intervention program, and prevention program.

• RIVER ROUGE: $240,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the River Rouge Housing Commission for programs to reduce drug use and abuse and drug-related crime within public housing developments.

• SAGINAW: $180,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Saginaw Housing Commission for programs to provide a holistic approach which encompasses best practice approaches to reducing drug-related crime.

• SAULT STE. MARIE TRIBE OF CHIPPEWA INDIANS: $128,700 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Housing Authority to address the issue of crime prevention and drug elimination through the continued development of an organized, structured drug prevention program to provide positive, cultural, recreational, and drug prevention education activities with emphasis on extended family participation and community involvement.

• YPSILANTI: $172,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Ypsilanti Housing Commission for the development of a Crime Free Designation, Tenant Services coordinator, two computer learning centers, and Youth sports activities.