207 TIED TO CRIMINALS EVICTED OR LOSE FINANCIAL AID

Police, Housing Authority Join Forces In Campaign

More than 120 people involved in violent or drug-related activities have
been forced to move out of Section 8 or public housing in Kenner or come up
with their own rent as part of a recent partnership between the Kenner
Police Department and the Kenner Housing Authority, officials said Wednesday.

More than 80 people lost financial assistance because they let drug dealers
or convicted violent felons live in their homes or had recent criminal
histories of their own involving drugs or violence.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development lets housing
authorities refuse assistance to an applicant, renter or landlord if any
member of the family living with them commits a drug-related offense or a
violent criminal activity, said Lillie Liddell, acting director of the
Kenner Housing Authority.

Although no statistics were available, the effort has helped reduce serious
crime in those areas, Kenner police Capt. James Gallagher said.

Police began scrutinizing who was living in government-subsidized housing
in March 2003, after noticing a steady increase in crime and calls for
service in an area around 27th Street that had a high concentration of
Section 8 and public housing, Capt. James Gallagher said.

Using booking logs, incident reports and tips to the Police Department and
the housing authority, police compared addresses citywide and checked
criminal backgrounds, then turned their findings over to the housing
officials, Gallagher said.

The housing authority, which fields hundreds of applicants every year for
its 137 public housing units and for 572 Section 8 vouchers, holds hearings
for those accused of violating the zero-tolerance policy before deciding
whether to sever their financial aid.

Gallagher said that as of April 5:

- -- Eighty-four people lost their financial assistance for housing drug
dealers or convicted felons, or for their own criminal histories.

- -- One hundred twenty-two drug dealers, drug users and violent criminal
offenders were required to move out or pay rent.

- -- One property owner identified by police as a convicted drug dealer lost
government-subsidized rent money he had been receiving from tenants. The
tenants were relocated and did not lose their subsidy.

- -- Thirteen drug dealers and convicted felons identified as frequent
visitors to Section 8 or public housing were issued written notices barring
them from the property and threatening them with arrest if they trespass.

"When people are losing and know they are going to lose their financial
assistance if they allow criminals to live with them and use their
residence, I think you're going to see where those numbers probably dwindle
over the next couple of years," said Capt. Steve Caraway, Kenner Police
spokesman.

Liddell lauded the partnership between the housing authority and the police.

"It has been wonderful," Liddell said. "We are hoping and we are praying
our authority can continue to have a positive appeal so that people can be
poor but they don't have to live in a crime-infested community."