[Archived] HUD to Announce Safe Neighborhoods Grant to Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority; News Conference Set for March 20 in Alexandria


News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Thursday, March 19, 1998
Contact:	William Dearman, Executive Director, ARHA, (703) 549-7913; Amy Bertsch, Alexandria Police Department PIO, (703) 838-4636; Tom Brannan, Assistant City Manager, (703) 838-4300

HUD to Announce Safe Neighborhoods Grant to Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority; News Conference Set for March 20 in Alexandria

Officials of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. Friday, March 20, at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 905 Wythe Street, in Alexandria to announce the award of a major Safe Neighborhoods grant to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

Representing HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo at the news conference will be Ginnie Mae President Kevin Chavers. He will be joined by Alexandria Mayor Kerry J. Donley, ARHA Board Chairman Myke Reid, ARHA Executive Director William Dearman, and Alexandria Police Chief Charles E. Samarra.

Alexandria is one of only 73 communities in the nation to be awarded a grant under HUD's Safe Neighborhoods Program, and ARHA is the only Virginia agency selected to receive a grant award under this program. The award of $229,400 will enable ARHA to continue to hire back off-duty Alexandria police officers who work in two communities targeted in the grant and to support the Residential Police Officer (RPO) Program, which began in 1992. Residential Police Officers live in the neighborhoods they patrol and work with residents to solve community problems. Grant monies will also be used to support the Resident Patrol, which will be organized by ARHA residents in cooperation with the Police Department.