Assistant Secretary Roy A. Bernardi was in Florida last week to announce that the City of Sarasota will receive $500,000 in HUD funding to provide housing assistance and supportive services to persons living with HIV/AIDS, and to their families.

The funding, which comes from HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program, will be targeted at Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

Housing assistance and the support services funded by the HOPWA program are a vital part of caring for those living with HIV/AIDS. A stable home environment is critically important for low-income persons with complex drug therapies and potential side effects from their treatments.

Ninety percent of HOPWA funds are distributed by formula to cities and states based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Some $290 million in HOPWA funding will be awarded nationwide, more than nine percent over last year. President Bush is seeking $297 million for the program in fiscal year 2004. For more information about HUD's HOPWA program, visit HUD's website.