Bay Area Reporter - May 11, 2006
Rob Akers

The meeting was "an opportunity for individuals with HIV/AIDS to inform SFRA of any unmet housing needs, supportive service gaps, or ideas to increase efficiency," in program priorities, according to Chris Harris, senior development specialist with the redevelopment agency.

Individuals who attended the meeting voiced concern over the inability to get on housing waiting lists, being unable to switch to more appropriate housing, and the need for a central location with a list of available housing.

HOPWA, federally funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, can fund housing-related activities including rental assistance and supportive services.

Total cumulative funding through June 2006 for San Francisco County was $105.7 million, followed by San Mateo County at $9.5 million, and Marin at $6.7 million.

In San Francisco, many of the nonprofit AIDS or housing agencies receive both HOPWA and Ryan White CARE Act funds and they are used in a complementary way û as long as the funds last.

Preliminary funding allocations for the three counties for fiscal year 2006-07 would be $7,091,000 for San Francisco, $679,000 for San Mateo, and $300,000 for Marin. Funds are allocated according to the estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS in each county, Harris said.

A speaker who identified himself only as Paul said he living with HIV and currently resides in a Walden House program. He said that many people want to know how to get on the housing waiting list.

"The housing waiting list was closed years ago," according to Margot Antonetty, director of programs at the city's Housing and Urban Health Clinic.

Antonetty said the large number of people who signed onto the list when it first originated combined with the slow turnover wait led to the closure. She suggested people who are on the list call and check up on their status.

Hans, another man living with HIV but in housing supported by HOPWA, also attended the meeting. Hans, who also declined to give his last name, said he was confused about stories he heard of people who got on the housing list in the mid 1990s, and moved out of the city for years, but still remained on the list.

"A person's enrollment date remains a person's enrollment date," said George Simmons, senior program director at Catholic Charities that provides housing assistance, referrals, and information. Simmons said it was decided that people move out of the city for various reasons, both health and economic, and he felt it was important "to keep people on the list" if they moved.

Hans said that although he is grateful to have help through HOPWA for his housing, his current situation at home has left him "miserable."

"I am blessed and extremely lucky to have a subsidy," he said. But he added that he has been placed in a recovery/abstinence-based facility, which may not be appropriate for his needs. He said he is constantly being viewed with "suspicion" and threats of being "cast out if he drinks or refuses to submit to urinalysis."

He said that additionally, he was recently victimized by a roommate who stole his money and lied to him. He asked program directors what he could do to move.

Harris said agencies were receiving initial feedback from those living in recovery and sobriety based facilities, where some people were first placed.

"Other options are happening," she said. "We are looking at other affordable housing options, supportive or not," Harris said. "We are at the baby stage at getting the word out about what is available," she said.

Elizabeth Colomello, development specialist at SFRA, said she was willing to point people in the right direction for housing needs.

Priorities listed by HOPWA in relation to its spending are to:

* Continue support of permanent housing through the HOPWA "deep rent" and "shallow rent" programs offering subsidies and housing search assistance.

* Continue support of services and operating subsidies linked to five licensed residential care facilities for people with HIV/AIDS.

* Seek out linkages with all programs that can assist people living with HIV/AIDS to find appropriate affordable housing, especially privately-owned apartments that will accept rent subsidies.

* Continue exploration of alternative funding for supportive services at the licensed residential care facilities.

* Provide funds for capital improvements in existing HOPWA projects.

HOPWA reported assisting over 1,200 people living with HIV/AIDS and family members through fiscal year ending June 2005. It funds 30 projects at a total cost of $32.6 million a year.

According to statistics reported by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the total number of HIV cases reported is 6,856. About 2,150 of those cases have been diagnosed since July 2002. The number of deaths from AIDS and new diagnosed cases has fallen considerably since the early 1990s, while the number of people living with AIDS has increased dramatically, according to statistics presented by HOPWA.

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