Pubdate: Tue, 10 Apr 2001
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL)
Copyright: 2001 News-Journal Corp
Contact:  http://www.n-jcenter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/700
Author: John Bozzo

BUDGET THREATENS AREA DRUG GRANT

DAYTONA BEACH -- A police unit dedicated to public housing developments 
here could be in jeopardy in the federal budget proposed by President 
George Bush.

The Housing and Urban Development budget proposed by Bush would terminate 
$309 million in funding for the Drug Elimination Grant program in public 
housing nationwide.

Daytona Beach's public housing authority received a $252,145 Drug 
Elimination Grant in January for the 2000 fiscal year. Funding for 2001 has 
been delayed and Bush recommended terminating the grant in 2002.

About $232,000 of the grant funds six police officers and a sergeant 
dedicated solely to issues in public housing. Daytona Beach Police Chief 
Kenneth Small said the drug elimination grant has sponsored the special 
police unit in public housing for about nine years.

"It would certainly be detrimental to the service we provide in public 
housing," Small said about possible termination of the grant. "As it stands 
now, the city doesn't have funds to replace those officers." The remaining 
$20,000 of the Daytona Beach Housing Authority's Drug Elimination Grant in 
2000 went to anti-drug programs sponsored by Resident Initiative Councils 
in each housing development.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D