Pubdate: Wed, 27 Mar 2002
Source: Daily Gazette (NY)
Copyright: 2002 The Gazette Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.dailygazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/105
Author: Charles Lane, Washington Post

TOP COURT UPHOLDS EVICTIONS BY HUD

Tenants Had Filed Suit Over Federal Agency's 'One-Strike' Drug Policy

WASHINGTON - Upholding the federal government's "one strike and you're out" 
drug policy for low-income housing projects, the Supreme Court ruled 
Tuesday that a public housing tenant may be evicted if any member of his or 
her household, or a guest, is caught using illegal drugs - even if the 
tenant was unaware of the drug use.

The case originated in 1998 with a federal lawsuit by four evicted public 
housing tenants from Oakland, Calif., including Pearlie Rucker, 63, a 
great-grandmother whose mentally disabled daughter was arrested for crack 
cocaine possession near their apartment complex.
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