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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03091993 - 1.55 1 -55 , HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA TO: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DATE: March 9, 1993 FROM: Richard J. Martinez, Acting Interim Executive Director SUBJECT: PREVENTION IN HOUSING COMMUNITIES (PHC) INITIATIVE I. RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE application submitted by the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa to HUD, Washington, D.C. , for participation in Prevention in Housing Communities (PHC) , as recommended by the Advisory Housing Commission. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. III. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND: On February 8, 1993 the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa received an invitation to apply for participation in the Prevention in Housing Communities (PHC) initiative. This is a training initiative for recipients of the Public Housing Drug Elimination Program. The Housing Authority has been a participant in the Public Housing Drug Elimination Program since its inception. Seven to ten representatives of the Housing Authority, which would include community representatives such as staff from the Public Housing Drug Elimination Program, residents, school representatives, law enforcement personnel , spiritual leaders, service providers, Housing Authority staff from Los Deltas, North Richmond, business leaders, community civic group members, a representative from the North Richmond Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC) and Housing Authority staff making a direct contribution to the Las Deltas Public Housing Drug Elimination Program, would be trained in San Francisco April 26-30, 1993. Upon completion of this training, these representatives would be included in the strategic planning process related to the implementation and management of the Drug Elimination Program. This training opportunity will enhance the efforts of the Housing Authority and the community at large. IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Should the Board of Commissioner elect to not approve this application, the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa would lose the chance to participate in a prevention program which would help assure that low-income families in Las Deltas, North Richmond, are afforded safe housing. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENTt YES SIGNATUREt RECOMMENDATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION dF BOARD OMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS A TRUE AND AYES: NOES: CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ON THE DATE SHOWN.. CC: ATTESTED q, I q 9 3 Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of Commissioners M302/7-e3 BY . DEPUTY •� D, U. Department of Hdusing and Urban Develr- hent h i•� °° Washington, b.C. 20410-5000 hB.h CC 111111 D,vt11*s' OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING February 5, 1993 Richard J. Martinez CONTRA COSTA Housing Authority P.O. Box 2759 Contra Costa, CA 94553-2759 Dear Richard: On behalf of the Office of Resident Initiatives, Drug-Free Neighborhoods Division, and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, you are invited to apply for participation in the Prevention in Housing Communities (PHC) initiative. PHC is an exciting training initiative for recipients of the Public Housing Drug Elimination Program (PHDEP). PHC responds to the need for training in community drug prevention initiatives which was expressed by public housing authority (PHA) residents and staff. The San Francisco PHC will accommodate only 10 housing authorities, and our office must conclude the selection process by Friday, February 26, 1993. The San Francisco PHC will be held April 26-30, 1993. To be considered, your application must be faxed or mailed to the Drug-Free Neighborhoods Division (Attn: David Tyus) by close of business Monday, February 22, 1993. The FAX number is (202) 708-0690. The PHC training project has three components: * Preliminary community assessment training (onsite). * Housing community institute (5-day training offsite). * Followup technical assistance (onsite). Using a community development approach, community teams composed of individuals live or work in a single targeted apartment community will be trained on comprehensive drug prevention and community development strategies. Each team member should represent a segment of the targeted apartment community. Team members will be expected to share the information they ]earn with their constituent group. You may select between 7 and 10 representatives who have a primary focus on the Proposed apartment community to participate in PHC. The training will be held at the San Francisco Hilton, One Hilton Square, 3333 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA 94142-0868. (Telephone: (415) 771-1400, FAX: (415) 923-5036). The single and double occupancy room rate is $69.00 per night. Because PHC will provide theoretical and practical shills that will affect the team as well as the implementation of the drug prevention plan in your community, we request that you include the following community representatives on your team: * PHDEP staff (prevention coordinator or youth organizer). HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA Prevention in Housing Community Initiative Application February 1993 Statement of Interest Las Deltas Public Housing Development is located in North Richmond. North Richmond is a section of Contra Costa County which is considered by law enforcement and substance abuse program officials to have the highest incidence of drug-related crime in the County. In fact, the drug trade that is evident within North Richmond is tied to a network of drug dealing which spans several counties and is connected by Interstate 80. The Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa (Housing Authority), the Las Delta's Resident's Council and the Sheriffs Department developed Project P.R.I.D.E. for the purpose of empowering residents, both individually and organizationally and to provide them with specific community based resources which they will be able to use to decrease the number of drug related crimes in Las Deltas. The Las Deltas public housing development has a very unique physical layout. It consists of 226 units, 201 of which are occupied. Las Deltas was built in three phases. Phase one included 76 units and was built in 1952. These units are in one general location near the administration building. Phases two and three occurred in 1960 and 1961 and consisted of a total of 150 units many of which are scattered throughout the larger North Richmond community. This combination of scattered sites and centrally located units presents significant challenges to the Housing Authority. Because of this scattered site layout, it is difficult to statistically distinguish between crime in the development and crime in North Richmond as a whole. In addition, issues which effect the development will impact upon the larger community (gang activity, vacant units) and vice versa. The Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa has made a serious commitment to assist the residents of the Las Deltas Public Housing Development fight drugs and drug related crime in their community. We are currently operating our third year of Project P.R.I.D.E. a Public Housing Drug Elimination Program. Two years ago, North Richmond had one of the highest murder rates in the country. In Contra Costa County it has the highest concentration of substance abuse and substance abuse related problems. Resolving the serious social and community problems in Las Deltas will take a concerted effort by all sectors of the community. However, the most important part of the solution is the residents themselves. Page3 addition to intimidation, gang members are also enticing youth by offering jobs as - runners and spotters.and providing them with.quick cash. People are also afraid to move_into Las Deltas. There has been a 97% refusal rate of families who have been offered a unit in Las Deltas but have refused. A comparison of the residents of Las Deltas with the larger community provides key information: :• Population: The total number of residents in Las Deltas is approximately 704. They make up one third of the population of North Richmond. The City of Richmond is 11% of the total county population. Racial and Ethnic Comparison: African Americans make up 9.1% of the total county population. They make up 42.8% of the City of Richmond, 39% of total number of Housing Authority public housing tenants and 84% of the residents of Las Deltas. •3 Income: The average income for the County is $49,000. For the western region, or West County, (where Las Deltas is located) the average income is $43,166. The average income for the residents of Las Deltas is $11,181. :• Employment: The unemployment rate in the County was 4% in 1989. In Las Deltas the unemployment rate is 86%! Welfare recipients: 8% of the county's population is receiving some type of welfare. Over 75% of the households in Las Deltas dep.end upon a Welfare program to survive. 33% of the Counties population is under 18, 47% of the individuals living in Las Deltas are under 18. And except for some weeks during the summer, the only recreational activity available to the youth of Las Deltas is at the Resident Initiative Center. Other important social data includes: •:• It is estimated by county officials that 15 -30% or 3,400 to 6,850 social service system recipients may be adversely effected by alcohol and other drug abuse county-wide. •: The drop-out rate for the County in 1989 was 12.1%. In Richmond High School (which serves Las Deltas) the official drop-out rate was 14.7 that same year. However, local social service providers and educators convened by the United Way of Contra Costa County estimated in 1990 that the drop-out rate was closer to 35%. Page5 ❖ The members of the 'team' also reflect..the ethnic composition of the community.