Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today awarded $4,690,233 in grants to fight drug abuse and other crimes in public housing and HUD-assisted housing in Oklahoma.

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

"These grants are good news for some of the poorest families in Oklahoma 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 OKLAHOMA

• Ada: $468,520 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Chickasaw Nation Housing Authority for programs to provide prevention and criminal justice. The program includes security services, community mobilization, family skills, educational services, recreation and after-school activities, mentoring and incentives to develop community cohesiveness, independence and leadership.

• Hugo: $180,800 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Hugo Housing Authority to provide security guard services. A DEP Coordinator will be hired to create self-sufficiency and self-resilient communities and individuals.

• Hugo: $474,500 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority to provide programs in Bryan County including tenant services, security services, drug abuse prevention and early intervention, treatment and referral programs.

• Idabel: $157,600 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Idabel Housing Authority to provide security patrols in targeted areas. A youth patrol helps control drug abuse and promotes educational and alternative activities.

• Lawton: $95,100 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Lawton Housing Authority for security to attack drug-related crime. Existing programs will continue, new programs will be developed. Adding security personnel and hours of service will enhance the current capabilities of the Housing Authority.

• McAlester: $82,200 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the McAlester Housing Authority to curb drug-related activity in targeted areas. The funds will pay salaries of the Drug Prevention Coordinator and part of the Grant Coordinator who will coordinate after-school and summer activities for the kids. Activities include drug, gang education and life skills programs and field trips that concentrate on the same guidelines. Adult education will promote "Welfare to Work" initiatives.

• Miami: $122,159 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Peoria Tribe of Indians to prevent the use of drugs and drug-related crime through a holistic approach involving the active participation of the community.

• Newkirk: $50,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the KAW Tribe of Indians to enhance security through a preventive approach including foot patrol, security lighting and implementing a computer lab to aid adults in employment skills.

• Norman: $51,900 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Norman Housing Authority to prevent drug abuse by providing a learning lab and alternative activities targeted at youth and adults living in public housing.

• Oklahoma City: $816,920 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Oklahoma City Housing Authority to pursue and continue drug elimination activities and events that promote stronger communities. These programs include increasing programs available to residents such as security and support services.

• Oklahoma City: A $125,000 Drug Elimination Grants will go to Providence Apartments to reduce the use of drugs and promote economic and educational opportunities.

• Oklahoma City: Another $250,000 from the New Approach Anti-Drug program will go to Parkview Village to eliminate drug related crime. Patrol support, a narcotic operation and surveillance are some of the programs funded.

• Shawnee: $132,000 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Shawnee Housing Authority to reduce drug-related crime. Community police patrols will combat open drug trafficking. In addition, counseling, youth programs and prevention education are offered to increase self-sufficiency and prevent drug-related crimes. Computer classes give residents an opportunity to learn job skills.

• Tahlequah: $780,260 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Cherokee Nation Housing Authority to prevent drug use and drug-related crime. Services include direct resident contact by "Case Managers/Community Educators", resident training, coordinating activities and programs in five "Literacy Centers", drug prevention educational programs, intervention, and treatment referrals.

• Tulsa: $656,760 in Drug Elimination Grants will go to the Tulsa Housing Authority to eliminate drugs and drug-related crimes. The funds will maintain security patrols, employ a Security Coordinator to provide education and intervention activities. Youth Council facilitators will provide life-skills training for youth and supportive services to their parents.

• Tulsa: A $246,514 Drug Elimination Grants will go to James M. Inhofe Plaza to provide the elderly and disabled residents a safe and secure building. Security equipment will be installed to keep watch over the residents.