HUD HEADQUARTERS RELOCATES TO LOS ANGELES FOR A DAY AS CUOMO ANNOUNCES CRIME-FIGHTING PROGRAM AND OTHER AID

LOS ANGELES -- Secretary Andrew Cuomo and top aides relocated U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development headquarters to Los Angeles for a day today "to strengthen HUD's successful partnership with Los Angeles" and to announce $5.7 million in assistance - including $1 million in new crime-fighting grants for Los Angeles and nearby Compton.

Cuomo said $750,000 in Safe Neighborhood Grants for Los Angeles and $250,000 for Compton are part of a campaign to reduce violence, illegal drug activity and other crime in and around public housing and other HUD-assisted affordable housing developments. He also announced that nearly $1.2 million in additional crime-fighting grants will go to other communities in California.

Other HUD assistance announced by Cuomo today for Los Angeles and other communities in Los Angeles County included: $500,000 for the Neighborhood Turnaround economic development program; $1.5 million for two jobs programs; a $1.5 million increase in public housing operating subsidies; and the opening of a new computer learning center in HUD-assisted housing.

Cuomo also said that President Clinton's proposed 1999 budget would further benefit the City of Los Angeles, by boosting overall HUD assistance to the city for major programs from about $191.8 million this year to an estimated $234.6 million next year, according to a projection based on the city's historic share of HUD program funding.

Cuomo joined Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Braithwaite-Burke, additional elected officials, business leaders and other members of the community at events during the "HUD For A Day" visit.

Today's visit was the eighth "HUD For A Day" Cuomo has held around the country since becoming Secretary last year, to enable him and his top staff to spend a day in a city to meet with their counterparts, visit projects receiving HUD assistance, and learn more about the community.

"I've brought the top leadership of HUD here because we want to work with Los Angeles to bring a new prosperity to this area and all its people," Cuomo said. "To succeed, we have to understand Los Angeles and its needs, and the best way to do that is to walk through the city's neighborhoods, see the challenges it faces, and talk with its people and leaders."

"I am pleased that Secretary Cuomo will have a chance to see first-hand the accomplishments and needs of Los Angeles' neighborhoods," Mayor Riordan said. "I invite him to join us in addressing the challenges our city faces: aggressive investment in housing rehabilitation, a real dedication to healthier neighborhoods, and a long-term commitment to economic development."

HUD officials from Washington joining Cuomo for the day included: Assistant Secretary for Housing/Federal Housing Commissioner Nicolas Retsinas, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Kevin Marchman, Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development Saul Ramirez, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Eva Plaza, Deputy Chief of Staff Jacquie Lawing, Special Assistant for Community and Interfaith Outreach Father Joseph Hacala, and Counselor Robert Hickmott.

Among his activities, Cuomo made a ceremonial check presentation of $44.9 million in grants to Los Angeles area homeless services providers. The grants were announced previously.

Today was the third day of a four-day visit Cuomo is making to communities throughout Southern California to strengthen the partnership between HUD and local communities in the region. Here are details of the assistance announced today by Cuomo:

CRIME-FIGHTING GRANTS

The Safe Neighborhood grants announced by Cuomo are used to provide additional police surveillance and security, to assist police investigating drug-related criminal activity and to fund security-related capital improvements at public housing and other HUD-assisted housing. The Secretary said grants will go to these groups in California:

GRANT RECIPIENT	CITY	AMOUNT
Casa Community Association	Los Angeles	$250,000
Los Angeles Gardens Community Assoc.	Los Angeles	$250,000
Housing Authority of the City of LA	Los Angeles	$250,000
New Wilmington Affordable Housing, Inc.	Compton	$250,000
City of Wasco Housing Authority	Wasco	$250,000
Northridge Cooperative Homes	Richmond	$250,000
Lincoln Dakota Woods Assoc.	Fresno	$250,000
Imperial Valley Housing Authority	Brawley	$250,000
Vacaville Community Housing	Vacaville	$193,813

The Safe Neighborhood grants take a comprehensive neighborhood-based approach to reducing crime. Owners and operators of properties receiving grants are required to work in partnership with local government agencies, the police department and prosecutor's office, and other local groups interested in creating safe communities.

"All Americans - no matter how poor, no matter where they live - want to live in safe neighborhoods," Cuomo said. "We will not allow drug dealers and other criminals to terrorize innocent residents of public and assisted housing."

Casa Apartments Community Association will form partnerships with the Los Angeles Police Department, Community Police Advisory Boards, resident organizations and community service organizations. HUD's grant will fund an increased police presence in and around the Casa Apartments and support neighborhood watches, security-related capital improvements, youth sports activities, and educational and employment assistance.

The Los Angeles Gardens Apartments Community Association represents an inner-city area that has suffered from a broad range of crime, including violence, prostitution and illegal drug trafficking. The grant will help residents, owners and managers form partnerships with the police, Community Police Advisory Boards, resident organizations, schools, churches, and community service groups. These partnerships and the money from the grant will help reduce crime and violence through increased police presence and community cooperation.

The Los Angeles Housing Authority will use its HUD grant to increase police presence in and around Sheridan Villas South, an area with three large public housing developments that has been hit by violence, drug activity and other crime. The grant money will be used to help build crime prevention partnerships between residents, managers, local police, the Mayor's office, the U.S. Attorney's office and community service groups.

New Wilmington Affordable Housing, Inc., of Compton will allow residents of the New Wilmington Arms, Park Village, and Sunny Cove apartments to begin forming crime-fighting partnerships with the Compton Police Department, elected officials, local churches, businesses, and housing owners and managers. The grant will fund increased police presence, a mobile police mini-station, a community conflict resolution program, neighborhood patrols and watches, and increased social and educational services.

NEIGHBORHOOD TURNAROUND

Cuomo announced the commitment of $500,000 in HUD funds towards the Neighborhood Turnaround program, a collaborative effort between HUD and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. HUD's investment is expected to attract another $1 million in private investment in the program, boosting total funding to $1.5 million. The funds will enable five local community development corporations in Los Angeles to carry out special economic development activities including the development of commercial shopping centers and franchise development in their neighborhoods.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

Cuomo announced the awarding of two grants totaling $1.5 million for the Economic Development and Supportive Services Program in Los Angeles.

The first grant to the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles totals $1 million for a Jobs-Plus project involving two distinct housing developments: Imperial Courts in South Central Los Angeles and William Mean Homes in the Northwest section of downtown Los Angeles. The project involves the participation of more than 20 public and private partners and matching contributions exceeding $2 million.

The second grant for $500,000 is to Los Angeles County for a job training and placement program project welfare recipients in the Carmelitos public housing development in North Long Beach and two other developments in South Central Los Angeles.

PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING SUBSIDIES

Cuomo announced that the City of Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County will receive increased public housing operating subsidies from HUD this year. The increases total nearly $1.2 million for the city and nearly $300,000 for the county.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK OPENING

Cuomo said HUD is opening a Neighborhood Networks computer learning center at Pico Union apartments. In addition, Los Angeles will work with HUD on supporting the development of Neighborhood Network centers at other HUD-assisted multifamily housing projects.

Neighborhood Networks are computer centers in HUD-assisted housing that help residents acquire computer skills that will help them find jobs or continue their education. Centers are funded through existing project revenues, contributions and donations. Donations of used computers, educational and technical software, job training assistance and links with schools and community colleges are critical to the success of each Neighborhood Network center.