Recipients are prohibited from defending any person in a proceeding to evict that person from a public housing project if:

(a) The person has been charged with or has been convicted of the illegal sale, distribution, or manufacture of a controlled substance, or possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell or distribute; and

(b) The eviction proceeding is brought by a public housing agency on the basis that the illegal drug activity for which the person has been charged or for which the person has been convicted threatens the health or safety of other tenants residing in the public housing project or employees of the public housing agency.