TOP COURT UPHOLDS EVICTIONS BY HUD

Tenants Had Filed Suit Over Federal Agency's 'One-Strike' Drug Policy

WASHINGTON - Upholding the federal government's "one strike and you're out"
drug policy for low-income housing projects, the Supreme Court ruled
Tuesday that a public housing tenant may be evicted if any member of his or
her household, or a guest, is caught using illegal drugs - even if the
tenant was unaware of the drug use.

The case originated in 1998 with a federal lawsuit by four evicted public
housing tenants from Oakland, Calif., including Pearlie Rucker, 63, a
great-grandmother whose mentally disabled daughter was arrested for crack
cocaine possession near their apartment complex.