Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§11901 Congressional findings

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 124— - PUBLIC HOUSING DRUG ELIMINATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING DRUG ELIMINATION › § 11901

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Says the federal government has a duty to make public and other federally assisted low-income housing livable, safe, and free of illegal drugs. Many of these housing areas face big problems with drug-related and violent crime. Drug dealers frighten tenants. The violence and crime also damage buildings and force governments to spend more money. Local police often do not have enough resources, especially after recent cuts in federal aid. The government must support safety and security measures, focus on the worst public housing, encourage housing managers, police, and residents to work together, and expand community-style policing.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §11901

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Congress finds that—
(1)the Federal Government has a duty to provide public and other federally assisted low-income housing that is decent, safe, and free from illegal drugs;
(2)public and other federally assisted low-income housing in many areas suffers from rampant drug-related or violent crime;
(3)drug dealers are increasingly imposing a reign of terror on public and other federally assisted low-income housing tenants;
(4)the increase in drug-related and violent crime not only leads to murders, muggings, and other forms of violence against tenants, but also to a deterioration of the physical environment that requires substantial government expenditures;
(5)local law enforcement authorities often lack the resources to deal with the drug problem in public and other federally assisted low-income housing, particularly in light of the recent reductions in Federal aid to cities;
(6)the Federal Government should provide support for effective safety and security measures to combat drug-related and violent crime, primarily in and around public housing proj­ects with severe crime problems;
(7)closer cooperation should be encouraged between public and assisted housing managers, local law enforcement agencies, and residents in developing and implementing anti-crime programs; and
(8)anti-crime strategies should be improved through the expansion of community-oriented policing initiatives.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Par. (2). Pub. L. 105–276, § 586(b)(1), inserted “or violent” after “drug-related”. Par. (4). Pub. L. 105–276, § 586(b)(2)(A), inserted “and violent” after “drug-related”. Pars. (6) to (8). Pub. L. 105–276, § 586(b)(2)(B), (3), (4), added pars. (6) to (8). 1990—Pub. L. 101–625 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “The Congress finds that— “(1) the Federal Government has a duty to provide public housing that is decent, safe, and free from illegal drugs; “(2) public housing projects in many areas suffer from rampant drug-related crime; “(3) drug dealers are increasingly imposing a reign of terror on public housing tenants; “(4) the increase in drug-related crime not only leads to murders, muggings, and other forms of violence against tenants, but also to a deterioration of the physical environment that requires substantial government expenditures; and “(5) local law

Enforcement

authorities often lack the resources to deal with the drug problem in public housing, particularly in light of the recent reductions in Federal aid to cities.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by title V of Pub. L. 105–276 effective and applicable beginning upon Oct. 1, 1999, except as otherwise provided, with provision that Secretary may implement amendment before such date, except to extent that such amendment provides otherwise, and with

Savings Provision

, see section 503 of Pub. L. 105–276, set out as a note under section 1437 of this title.

Short Title

of 1998 Amendment Pub. L. 105–276, title V, § 586(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2646, provided that: “This section [enacting sections 11906 to 11908 of this title, amending this section and section 11902, 11903, 11904, and 11905 of this title, and repealing sections 11906 to 11909 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Program

Amendments

of 1998’.”

Short Title

of 1994 Amendment Pub. L. 103–227, title X, § 1051, Mar. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 274, provided that: “This part [part D (§§ 1051–1053) of title X of Pub. L. 103–227, amending section 11903a of this title] may be cited as the ‘Midnight Basketball League Training and Partnership Act’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 100–690, title V, § 5121, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4301, as amended by Pub. L. 101–625, title V, § 581(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4245, provided that: “This chapter [chapter 2 (§§ 5121–5130) of subtitle C of title V of Pub. L. 100–690, enacting this subchapter] may be cited as the ‘Public and Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Act of 1990’.” Pub. L. 100–690, title V, § 5141, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4303, provided that: “This chapter [chapter 3 (§§ 5141–5146) of subtitle C of title V of Pub. L. 100–690, enacting subchapter II of this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Drug-Free Public Housing Act of 1988’.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 11901

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73