U.S.

Department of Justice

Civil Rights Division

Office of the Assistant Attorney General Washington, D.C. 20035

APR 3 1998

The Honorable John Breaux

United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510-1803

Dear Senator Breaux:

I am replying to your inquiry on behalf of Judge Frank A.

Marullo, Jr., Chief Judge, Criminal District Court, Parish of
Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana. Judge Marullo seeks information
about the availability of Federal financial assistance for
capital improvements to the Israel M. Augustine, Jr. Criminal
Justice Center in New Orleans. Please excuse our delay in
responding.

Staff of the Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights

Division, researched potential sources of funding in response to
Judge Marullo's request. There are no Federal domestic
assistance programs specifically earmarked for accessibility
renovations and security upgrades to State and local court
buildings. However, some State and local courts have,
nonetheless, been successful over the years in their efforts to
obtain Federal assistance for capital improvements.

According to Mr. Bob Tilden of the National Center for State

Courts, Conference of State Court Administrators, 1700 North
Moore Street, Suite 1710, Arlington, Virginia 22209, telephone
(703) 841-0200, the funding sources have been innovative and
wide-ranging. They have included such methods as Congressionally
appropriated line-item riders, funding associated with Federal
agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency
following disaster-related damage, urban-renewal funding through
the Department of Housing and Urban Development, "impact funds"
associated with a significant "Federal presence" in the local
community, and "move-ins" to vacated Federal facilities. In 1995
the State Justice Institute published the results of a study
entitled "Court Managers Guide to Court Facility Financing
Survey" which describes such creative financing efforts
undertaken by local court systems. According to Mr. Tilden,
Judge Marullo should consult Mr. Hugh Collins, the State Court
Administrator in New Orleans, for a copy of the financing survey.

(handwritten)FOIA
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We also referred Judge Marullo's correspondence to the

Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) (Enclosures). OJP's Bureau of
Justice Assistance administers criminal justice formula grants.
Funding for facility renovation of State and local courts may be
considered for this program under existing guidelines.

HUD administers Federal aid to promote community development

under its Community Development Block Grants Program. State and
local courts may be recipients of community development funding
for capital improvements. Both OJP and HUD should be able to
provide Judge Marullo with specific information about the Federal
financial assistance programs under their administration.

An additional resource that Judge Marullo might find useful

is entitled "Opening the Courthouse Door; An ADA Access Guide for
State Courts", published by the American Bar Association's
Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law. This 1992
guide has a chapter with suggestions on funding resources that
may be helpful to pay for providing access to the courts by
persons with disabilities. It is available by contacting:

American Bar Association

Commission on Mental and Physical
Disability Law
740 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone (202) 662-1570

I hope this information is useful in responding to your

constituent.

Sincerely,

Bill Lann Lee

Acting Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division

Enclosures