PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCES OVER $9.2 MILLION IN GRANTS TO FIGHT DRUG CRIME AND HELP SENIOR CITIZENS AND DISABLED

CHICAGO - President Clinton today announced more than $9.2 million in Department of Housing and Urban Development assistance to fight drug-related crime in HUD-subsidized housing in Chicago, and to help senior citizens and people with disabilities live independently in Danville, IL.

The President announced:

• An $8.4 million grant from HUD's Public Housing Drug Elimination Program to 14 public housing developments in Chicago.

• A $215,272 grant from the New Approach Anti-Drug Program, a similar drug elimination effort that benefits privately owned housing subsidized by HUD, to the Hispanic Housing Development Corporation for housing in Danville, IL.

• A $600,000 Resident Opportunities Self-Sufficiency Program grant that will be used to hire people to provide services to help residents who are elderly or have disabilities continue living on their own in 53 public housing developments in Chicago.

HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo said: "The assistance President Clinton has brought to Chicago will help revitalize the city by making it a safer place for law-abiding families, and will also benefit senior citizens and people with disabilities in Danville."

The President was in Chicago today on the last stop of his four-city tour highlighting New Markets - areas of America that have not fully shared in the nation's prosperity but offer strong investment potential. The President visited Newark, NJ and Hartford, CT Thursday and was in Hermitage, AR earlier today. The trip is designed to focus public attention and spark increased business investment to jump-start the economies of communities left behind.

COMBATING DRUGS AND CRIME IN PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING

The Drug Elimination grant will be used to combat illegal drug use, trafficking, and drug-related crime at the ABLA, Cabrini-Green, Horner, Rockwell, Lathrop, LeClaire, Hilliard, Ickes, Dearborn, Stateway, Taylor, Wells, Washington Park and Altgeld public housing developments in Chicago.

The grant will be used to reduce both the demand and supply of drugs by creating partnerships between police and CADRE (Combating, Alcohol and Drugs through Rehabilitation and Education), a Chicago Housing Authority program that provides substance abuse prevention, intervention and referral services to residents. The funds will also provide for tenant patrols and resident programs to fight drug activity.

The Hispanic Housing Development Corporation will use the New Approach Anti-Drug Program grant to assist residents at the HUD-assisted Vermillion Garden Apartments in Danville, IL. This grant will be used to partner with local and federal law enforcement agencies to provide a comprehensive neighborhood approach to eliminating drugs and other criminal activities in the apartments and the surrounding neighborhood. Grant funds will be used to install security lights, door replacements and an intercom system. This grant was created with the notion that crime-fighting efforts are most effective when law enforcement agencies work in partnership with community stakeholders.

SERVICE TO SENIOR CITIZENS

The Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency Service Coordinator Program provides funding to employ service coordinators in public housing developments designated for the elderly and people with disabilities. The service coordinators help residents obtain supportive services that are needed to enable them to stay in their apartments and out of nursing homes. The assistance to Chicago will provide one year of funding for 16 service coordinators.

Content Archived: January 20, 2009