TO: Mayor and
Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton,
Town Manager
SUBJECT: Acceptance of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Drug Elimination Grant
DATE: January 24, 2000
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum
is to present information and a recommendation regarding the approval of a Drug
Elimination Grant for the Town.
The attached resolution
would authorize the acceptance of a public housing Drug Elimination Grant from
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the amount of
$73,900. The attached ordinance would
establish a grant project budget.
In the spring of 1999, the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the availability of
funds for public housing agencies who designed approved plans to help eliminate
drug-related crime from their housing communities. On June 15, 1998, we
submitted our application for the amount of $73,900 to HUD. The grant does not
require any matching funds from the Town.
DISCUSSION
The Department of Housing
first received funding through the Drug Elimination Grant program in February
1992, and has continued to apply for the grant annually. Activities have included programs for drug
prevention, increased security and crime prevention. Grant funds have provided
physical improvements, such as fencing and lighting in public housing areas,
adult education programs, crime prevention training for residents, youth
activity programs and police investigative services.
On November 16, 1999, we
received notification that HUD had approved the current grant application. HUD requires that the Town indicate its
acceptance of the grant by returning a signed agreement form along with other
standard budgetary forms to HUD. Failure to return the signed acceptance form
to HUD will result in the reallocation of this grant to other housing agencies.
In the application, we
requested funding for the following:
1) Continuation of the full-time Resident Services Coordinator
position to implement the Drug Elimination Plan.
2) Continuation of a
police investigator position to be assigned full-time to the Police
Department's Investigations Unit to investigate, track and monitor crime in
public housing communities. The Investigator also provides regular
communication with Housing staff about problem areas in housing communities.
Housing and Police staff work cooperatively to solve problems with residents.
3) Support
for drug prevention programs:
Examples include
continuation of the Computer Learning Lab programs operating jointly with the
Orange County Literacy Council, General Educational Development (G.E.D.)
preparation program, structured youth programs and drug education/prevention.
Past program
efforts have resulted in residents returning to school and five have received
their graduate equivalent diplomas. Residents have continued education beyond
high school through a scholarship program. Computer skills training education
programs are available in Trinity Court/Pritchard Park and South Estes
communities. Youth programs have included a Cub Scout troop at South Estes
Drive jointly supervised by a Community Police Officer and parents of
participants, summer camps, cultural field trips and drug abuse education.
Continuation of the grant program will ensure that these activities are
available to residents. Other proposed plans include an increase in emphasis on
substance abuse treatment services for residents.
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council adopt the attached resolution approving the
acceptance of the Drug Elimination Plan grant from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, and the attached ordinance establishing a grant
project ordinance.
1.
Public
Housing Drug Elimination Grant Agreement (p. 6)
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF A PUBLIC HOUSING DRUG
ELIMINATION PROGRAM GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT (2000-01-24/R-3)
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has made funds available to public
housing agencies to assist in the elimination of drug-related crime from their
communities; and
WHEREAS, it is in the
interest of the Town of Chapel Hill to provide drug prevention, intervention
and referral to treatment programs for its residents of public housing; and
WHEREAS, the Department of
Housing and Community Development's Drug Elimination Plan was approved by HUD
in the amount of $73,900;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby
authorizes the Manager to accept the Drug Elimination Plan grant from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development and to make all necessary
assurances.
This the 24th day
of January 2000.
AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A DRUG ELIMINATION GRANT PROJECT ORDINANCE
(2000-01-24/O-3)
BE IT ORDAINED by the
Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that pursuant to Section 13.2 of Chapter 159
of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the following project ordinance is
hereby established.
The project authorized is
the Drug Elimination Grant submitted to U.S. Department of Housing and
Department of Housing and Urban Development June 1999; funds are as contained
in the grant agreement between the Town and by the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development.
The Manager of the Town of
Chapel Hill is hereby directed to proceed with the project within the terms of
the agreement document(s), the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the budget contained herein.
The following revenue is
available to complete the project:
Drug Elimination
Grant $73,900
Section
IV
The following amounts are
appropriated for the projects noted below:
Reimbursement of
Law Enforcement 33,600
Drug Prevention
Activities 38,820
Youth Activity 1,480
Total $
73,900
Section V
The Finance Director is
hereby directed to maintain within the Project fund sufficient specific detailed
accounting records to provide the accounting to HUD as required by the
agreement(s) and federal regulations.
Section VI
Funds may be advanced from
General funds for the purpose of making payments as due. Reimbursement requests
should be made to HUD in an orderly and timely manner.
Section VII
The Manager is directed to
report annually on the financial status of each project in Section IV and on
the total revenues received.
This the 24th day
of January, 2000.