Pubdate: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 Source: The Herald-Sun (NC) Copyright: 2001 The Herald-Sun Contact: http://www.herald-sun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428 HOUSING PROGRAM GLANCE A look at the Department of Housing and Urban Development's drug elimination grant program: - --Housing authorities have used the money to tutor children, train residents for jobs, set up police substations, train tenant patrols, provide drug counseling, improve security devices, employ crime investigators and escort children to school, among other activities. - --The program started in 1989 under then-HUD Secretary Jack Kemp in the administration of President Bush's father. - --The program's budget has grown to $310 million this year from $8.2 million in 1989. There are 2.6 million residents of public housing. - --A federal study of 55 public housing authorities receiving the grants found that the crime rate declined in 37 between 1994 and 1997. In housing covered by 28 authorities, the crime rate declined faster than in their surrounding areas. - --Declines in the crime rate in public housing have been the largest in Greenville, S.C.; (85 percent); Pawtucket, R.I. (65 percent); Rockford, Ill., (65 percent); Galveston, Texas (58 percent); Oakland, Calif. (39 percent); Seattle (32 percent); San Antonio (31 percent); and Cincinnati (31 percent). - --- MAP posted-by: Kirk