
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 21, 1994                    TAG: 9406210359 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B8    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: 940621                                 LENGTH: SUFFOLK

SMALL CITIES AFFECTED BY BLIGHT

{LEAD} City officials hope that a designation as an enterprise community will help them battle some of their worst enemies - deteriorating housing, poverty and crime in and around Suffolk's residential and industrial downtown.

The proposed area has been fighting blight for years. In some areas of Suffolk, adequate housing is hard to find. Other sections still are without water and sewer service.

{REST} Crime is taking its toll on residents.

The proposed enterprise community would have a population of about 13,800. If the city wins approval, the federal grant of nearly $3 million would benefit 27 percent of Suffolk's population, officials said.

A task force assigned to develop the proposal wants community partnerships to focus on affordable housing issues as well as support services to meet or exceed community demand. Litter programs would be started. The police and commonwealth's attorney would attempt to prosecute known drug dealers.

Most of all, the task force wants to provide the community with ``the means to empower themselves.''

{KEYWORDS} POVERTY

by CNB