[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
[March 28, 1996]
[Pages 521-522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Memorandum on the ``One Strike and You're Out'' Guidelines
March 28, 1996

Memorandum for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Subject: One Strike and You're Out Guidelines

    Since 1993, my Administration has undertaken comprehensive efforts 
to improve the safety and quality of life in our Nation's public 
housing. Operation Safe Home, the Public Housing Drug Elimination 
Program, and steps to keep out weapons have been important parts of this 
overall safety effort. The Department of Housing and Urban Development 
(HUD) has enabled cities to demolish dozens of blighted, high-rise 
projects and replace them with safer developments. The Department is 
also changing the social dynamic in public housing by instilling 
positive incentives for personal responsibility and family self-
sufficiency. In all of these initiatives, HUD has worked closely with 
the Congress and with public housing managers and residents, elected 
officials, and Federal and local law enforcement agencies.
    Today, the majority of the Nation's approximately 3,400 public 
housing authorities provide safe, attractive, quality homes. But there 
remains too much public housing in this country that is ravaged by 
drugs, crime, and violence.
    It is imperative that we protect the ability of all individuals to 
live in safety and free from fear, intimidation, and abuse. It is also 
imperative that our precious public housing resources be made available 
only to responsible, law-abiding individuals. We must have zero 
tolerance for those who threaten the safety and well-being of decent 
families and innocent children who live in public housing.
    That is why, in my State of the Union Address, I expressed my strong 
support for a clear and straightforward rule for those who endanger 
public housing communities by dealing drugs or engaging in other 
criminal activity: One Strike and You're Out of public housing.
    At my request, HUD has now developed, in consultation with the 
Department of Justice, new national Guidelines on One Strike and

[[Page 522]]

You're Out. These new Guidelines set forth how each public housing 
authority should use applicant screening and tenant eviction procedures 
to keep out drug dealers and other criminals who threaten the safety and 
the well-being of residents. These Guidelines are meant to ensure that 
One Strike and You're Out is effective and that it is fair.
    You have advised me that HUD intends to amend its public housing 
performance evaluation regulations so that the overall ``grade'' HUD 
gives annually to each local housing authority will be based, in part, 
on how effectively it has implemented the type of applicant screening 
and tenant eviction policies set forth in the new Guidelines. I 
understand that this ``grade'' can affect both the amount of Federal 
funding a public housing authority receives and the degree of Federal 
oversight to which a public housing authority will be subject.
    I hereby direct you to disseminate these important new Guidelines on 
One Strike and You're Out to each of this Nation's public housing 
authorities. I also direct you to ensure that these Guidelines are made 
available to public housing residents, Federal and local law enforcement 
agencies, community leaders, and appropriate elected officials.
    One Strike and You're Out is one component of comprehensive 
initiatives already underway to improve safety and quality of life in 
public housing. We will continue to work with the Congress, and with 
public housing authorities, residents, local officials, and law 
enforcement agencies, to rid our public housing of drugs, violence, and 
crime.

                                                      William J. Clinton