Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $2,290,442 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public housing and HUD-assisted housing in Arizona.

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

• Casa Grande....................................$52,500
• Chandler....................................$97,500
• Flagstaff……………………………….$72,600
• Maricopa County…………………....$271,800
• Mesa………………………………… $123,082
• Phoenix………………………………$682,440
• Sacaton………………………………$316,500
• South Tucson…………………………$50,700
• Tucson……………………………….$385,320
• Williams………………………………$50,000
• Yuma……………………………… ..$188,000

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

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 ARIZONA

• Casa Grande: $52,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Pinal County Housing Department to continue the Family Resource Center and Adult Education Center. The Center acts as a liaison between residents and agencies which provide health care, drug treatment, food supplies, education and job training.

• Chandler: $97,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Chandler Housing and Redevelopment Division. The funds will be used to fund outreach youth programs based on transportation and partnerships. The city of Chandler will continue to include on-site recreation and education, teen jobs, mentoring, and Chandler Boys and Girls Club activities to help reduce the use of drugs.
• Flagstaff: $72,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go the Flagstaff Housing Authority to help reduce drug and gang related crime. A police officer will be on-site full time, as will a full time director at the city's new activity center. The funding will also be used to provide a wider range of alternative activities for youth.

• Maricopa County: $271,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Maricopa County Housing Authority to fund a plan to divert drugs away from youth, to enhance security with resident patrols and law enforcement, and provide educational and recreational activities.

• Mesa: $123,082 in Drug Elimination Grants will go the Casa Mesa Estates. Casa Mesa will use the grant for additional police patrols and security equipment for the community. The property has been subject to violent crime, and a great deal of drug trafficking. Casa Mesa hopes to reach out to residents so that long-term results can be achieved.

• Phoenix: $682,440 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Phoenix Housing Department to continue implementing its successful comprehensive program for public housing residents. The program includes police, case management, teen and adult employment, and family oriented support groups.

• Sacaton: $316,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Gila River Housing Authority. GRHA provides a comprehensive substance abuse prevention program, community violence prevention, and youth oriented and economic development programs all aimed at increasing residents' self-sufficiency while reducing drug related crime.

• South Tucson: $50,700 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the City of South Tucson Housing Authority which will use the funds to implement a youth mentoring program aimed at instilling self-esteem, developing teamwork, and building skills. An emphasis will be placed on offering positive reinforcement, and alternatives to drugs and crime.

• Tucson: $385,320 in Drug Elimination Grants will go the Tucson Community Services Department to reduce/eliminate drug-related crime at seven sites. Proposed partners include residents, Child and Family Resources, Inc., City of Tucson Parks and Recreation, and educational institutions.

• Williams: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go the Williams Housing Authority for the purpose of prevention, intervention, and community policing to reduce/prevent drug use. The Housing Authority will focus on economic empowerment and kids.

• Yuma: $188,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go the Housing Authority of the City of Yuma (HACY). HACY will use a preventive-based approach to address drug related activities. The focus will be on providing a variety of youth activities, educational tools and community based programs that provide alternatives to gang and drug activities. In addition, resident and community police patrols will be used to combat existing gang and drug related crimes.