HUD AWARDS $1.7 MILLION TO ALABAMA HIV-AIDS HOUSING PROGRAMS
Funding supports stable housing for individuals and families at extreme risk for homelessness

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced $1,761,510 million in grant awards to assist extremely low-income persons and families living with HIV/AIDS in Alabama. The grant awards will provide these households with a stable living environment, which is essential to accessing healthcare and HIV related services. In addition to these grant programs will provide access to the needed supportive services in assisting beneficiaries with a path to self-sufficiency such as life skills, job readiness services and employment training.

The funding announced today is offered through HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) and will renew HUD's support of 30 local programs in 20 states. HUD grants will renew support to the following programs in Alabama:

"These grants will provide our local partners with crucial funding that is necessary to provide individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS a place to call home," said Secretary Shaun Donovan. "The comfort of knowing that you have a roof over your head makes a huge difference in the wellbeing of families and gives hope to those who might otherwise end up living on the streets."

"These grants offer housing, vital healthcare and hope to individuals and families that literally save lives," said Edward Jennings, Jr., HUD Southeast Regional Administrator. "This crucial funding is fundamental to providing a stable living environment to access healthcare and HIV related services."

Alabama
Health Services Center, Inc., is awarded a HOPWA permanent supportive housing renewal grant of $855,617 to continue the Rural Housing Options for Persons with HIV/AIDS project that operates in an 11-county rural area of east-central Alabama. In addition to providing Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) to 30 households, the program supports a two-unit/eight-bed facility. Supportive services will assist 47 households annually. The project is a collaborative partnership with the Family Services Center, Anniston Housing Authority, Greater Gadsden Housing Authority, City of Gadsden, Homeless Coalition of Northeast Alabama, and AIDS Alabama. For more information contact: Ms. Denise Meadows, Executive Director, Health Services Center, Inc., 608 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Anniston, AL 36202. Phone: (256) 832-0100, and Email: dmeadows@hascal.org.

AIDS Alabama, Inc., is awarded a HOPWA permanent supportive housing renewal grant of $905,893 to continue providing six units of facility-based permanent housing and eight units of scattered-site master leasing, in addition to housing information services and permanent housing placement to program participants. Supportive services will assist 174 households annually throughout the state's 35 most rural counties. The project is a collaborative partnership with AIDS Action Coalition, Montgomery AIDS Outreach, Unity Wellness Center, and West Alabama AIDS Outreach. All project sponsors are members of the AIDS Service Organization Network of Alabama. For more information contact: Ms. Elaine Cottle, LCSW, Executive Director, AIDS Alabama Inc., 3521 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35222. Phone: (205) 324-9822, and Email: elaine@aidsalabama.org.

Many of the projects receiving renewed funding provide for specialized models in outreach and service delivery, including efforts that target help to persons who have been homeless or are at extreme risk of becoming homeless. The awarded programs are designed to increase coordination with the homeless assistance grant programs as well as other federal resources provided at the local level. These grants offer innovations in HIV care to increase job readiness and employment opportunities for persons in stabilized care. The grants announced today also support the Obama Administration's Opening Doors (http://www.usich.gov/PDF/OpeningDoors_2010_FSPPreventEndHomeless.pdf), strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness, and National HIV AIDS Strategy, that identifies Housing as a key component to preventing the spread of HIV.

In addressing goals under these strategies, HUD will contribute a variety of housing resources to promote better integration of housing interventions into comprehensive HIV care systems. Housing assistance and related services funded by HOPWA are an essential part of the comprehensive system of care for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. A stable home environment is also vital for these households in allowing them to access consistent medical care and maintain their health. Furthermore, secure housing can be a platform for improved quality of life.

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. HUD's formula grants are managed by 138 local and state jurisdictions, which coordinate AIDS housing efforts with other HUD and community resources. Overall, these resources assist over 60,000 households annually to provide stable housing and reduced risks of homelessness for those living with HIV and other challenges.

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