Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2003
Source: Post-Standard, The (NY)
Copyright: 2003, Syracuse Post-Standard
Contact:  http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/686
Author: Mike McAndrew

ATTORNEY GENERAL TO UNVEIL PLAN TO FIGHT DRUG DEALING

Spitzer and Mayor Driscoll to Hold News Conference Near Rolling Green Estates

Attorney General Eliot Spitzer will announce today a new initiative to 
combat drug dealing in the neighborhood of the Rolling Green Estates on 
East Fayette Street.

Spitzer and Mayor Matt Driscoll will hold a news conference near the 
apartment complex at 10 a.m. at the Westmoreland Community Center.

In a program he calls Clean Sweep, Spitzer has used lawsuits and 
settlements in Albany, Utica, Mount Vernon, Newburgh and the Bronx to 
pressure landlords to ban convicted drug dealers from using their properties.

In some cases, Spitzer has negotiated settlements in which landlords were 
required to evict known drug dealers and to bar from occupancy anyone 
convicted within the last five years of a narcotics offense.

Spitzer filed suit seeking a court order that barred four men from coming 
within 200 feet of a property frequently used for drug dealing.

"He was able to bring suits against property owners who had turned their 
backs on activity that took place on property they own, and was able to 
hold them accountable for illegal activities," said Paul Larrabee, a 
spokesman for Spitzer.

Rolling Green, which has 14 buildings containing 393 apartments in the 
1800-2100 blocks of East Fayette Street, is owned by Rolling Green 
Associates, a New Jersey company. Although the buildings are privately 
owned, the state oversees them because they were built with public money, 
and the federal government subsidizes tenants' rent. Spitzer's spokesman 
declined Sunday to detail the attorney general's plan for the Rolling Green 
neighborhood.
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