42 U.S.C. § 11901: Congressional findings

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; public and other federally assisted low-income housing in many areas suffers from rampant drug-related or violent crime; drug dealers are increasingly imposing a reign of terror on public and other federally assisted low-income housing tenants; 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; 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; 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; 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 anti-crime strategies should be improved through the expansion of community-oriented policing initiatives.