2269

Weed and Seed Initiative; Transfers of Real Property

BACKGROUND: Weed and Seed is an initiative designed to reclaim and rejuvenate embattled neighborhoods and communities. Weed and Seed uses a neighborhood focused, two-part strategy to control violent crime and to provide social and economic support to communities where high crime rates and social ills are prevalent. The initiative first removes or "weeds" violent criminals and drug dealers from the neighborhoods. Second, the initiative prevents a reinfestation of criminal activity by "seeding" the neighborhoods with public and private-services, community-based policing, and incentives for new businesses. Weed and Seed is founded on the premise that community organizations, social service providers, and criminal justice agencies must work together with community residents to regain control and revitalize crime-ridden and drug-plagued neighborhoods. Weed and Seed includes both specifically funded projects, as well as cooperative initiatives not receiving targeted federal funding. The legal authority for the transfer of seized and forfeited real property, in appropriate cases, to states, political subdivisions, and private non-profit organizations in support of the Weed and Seed Initiative and the procedure by which such transfers are to be accomplished are described in detail in this section and the following sections infra. In summary, the process parallels the current sharing procedure including use of Form DAG-71, consultation among Federal, State, and local law enforcement authorities, and final approval of real property transfers by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. Recipients will be expected to pay any mortgages and qualified third party interests against the real property transferred. See USAM 9-116.530. Other costs will be paid from the Assets Forfeiture Fund. See USAM 9-116.540. No transfer will be made over the objection of a state local law enforcement agency which is entitled to an equitable share of the net proceeds from the sale of the property to be transferred. See USAM 9-116.550. [cited in USAM 9-116.500]