These new criteria are designed

to address the criticisms of major tenant displacement, and expand the

pool of public housing authorities eligible to receive HOPE VI grants

to include small public housing authorities. In hearings last month on

HOPE VI, Congressman Scott expressed several concerns about the FY 2004

HUD budget, particularly the proposed elimination of the HOPE VI funding.

He directly pleaded with HUD

Secretary Mel Martinez to work with Congress to improve the HOPE IV program

rather than moving to eliminate it entirely.

"I am very pleased that

this committee has voted to continue HOPE VI," Congressman Scott

said. "This program has been very successful in my Atlanta area district

and across the nation in improving not only public housing but the greater

communities surrounding such housing."

With neighborhood revitalization

as the cornerstone of its strategy, since 1994 the Atlanta Housing Authority

has reduced its workforce by more than 53 percent; increased the number

of families it serves by 17 percent; privatized the management of 100

percent of its real estate; and leveraged $184 million of federal grants

(including three HOPE VI grants totaling $113 million) into $2.5 billion

of local economic activity.

The Atlanta model of mixed-income

community development is a proven, sustainable neighborhood strategy that

has begun to eliminate institutional poverty. "This is the first

step to protecting HOPE VI from elimination. It is a proven success in

not only improving public housing but creating jobs and we must save it,"

said Scott.