AREA HOUSING LEADERS LAUD EVICTION RULING

Being tough on criminal behavior in public housing helps keep residents
living there as safe as possible, said area executive directors who support
aggressive eviction policies.

"I think it will be very beneficial overall in keeping drugs out of housing
authorities," said Jane Hilburn, executive director of the Myrtle Beach
Housing Authority, which has 18 single-family public housing homes. "I
think it is a good law. You get the proof, and that is it."

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that government agencies can use
aggressive eviction policies to get rid of drug users in public housing.
Justices, without dissent, said they had no problem with a law that allows
entire families to be evicted from public housing for drug use by one member.

The decision came after four elderly California tenants who had received
eviction notices challenged the policy and won in lower courts.

"We are trying to improve the image of public housing and make it a safe
and decent place for people who need it," said Sherry Joyner, executive
director of the Conway Housing Authority. "I'm happy about what the Supreme
Court did because I'm trying to clean up our housing developments and make
them safer for everyone."

Senior citizen groups fear the elderly will be hurt most by the
"one-strike" law - passed in 1988 to counter drug problems.

However, area directors said younger people in their 20s and 30s are the
ones usually evicted because of drug use or other criminal behavior.

There are between 1,500 and 1,600 residents in public housing under the
Conway Housing Authority. Joyner said 15 to 20 tenants were evicted under
the law during her year as executive director. One of those tenants lived
with his grandmother, but she was not evicted.

"She had no knowledge of her grandchild selling drugs," said Joyner, who
has five developments. "But we banned her grandson."

When the law affects elderly people, directors said measures are taken to
ensure they aren't unfairly evicted.

"You have to look at each case individually," said Anne Hartsell, executive
director of the Georgetown Housing Authority, where there are about 750
residents. "Everybody has to work together."