MHA SUPPORTS COURT RULING ON EVICTIONS

MUNCIE - Muncie Housing Authority officials have often referred to their
eviction policy regarding illegal drugs as "one strike and you're out."
"The lease always said we could [evict whole families], but we did not know
what the Muncie courts would do," MHA attorney Greg Huffman said.

The MHA board of commissioners lauded a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week
that upheld eviction of entire families from public housing if any member
or guest was involved in drug-related crime.

"We would have the right to evict the whole family, and I think it is a
good idea," said Carol Butts, MHA director of public housing.

Board Chairman Jerome Williams said that he would hate to see senior
citizens evicted for a grandchild's misdeeds. However, Williams said that
he strongly supported recent efforts by MHA staff to crack down on drug use
and drug-related crime in Muncie's public housing complexes.

Butts said that more than 20 people had been evicted for drug-related crime
since the MHA imposed the no-drug policy 4 years ago. She also noted that
the eviction process included a hearing and appeal.

The MHA also has extra police patrols in public housing complexes, thanks
to federal housing funds earmarked for that purpose.

MHA board member Mike Privett, who lives in Munsyana Homes, said he
believed that recent demolition of a portion of Munsyana had helped curb
drug-related crime.

"They are not there any more," Privett said, referring to drug dealers
loitering on street corners near the now-demolished Munsyana apartments.

Butts said that the MHA did have problems with more vacancies, due to
evictions, abandoned apartments and people moving to newer and better housing.

The MHA's 532 public housing and senior apartment had an occupancy rate of
only 80 percent in February, with most of the vacancies at Munsyana and
Parkview Apartments.

"We have to be competitive with other housing available to low-income
families," Butts said.

The MHA plans to install air conditioning in Earthstone and South Pines
complexes this summer.

New single- and multi-family homes will be built to replace Munsyana, and a
similar plan is being developed for Parkview.