HUD AWARDS $3.5 MILLION TO ALASKA, IDAHO & WASHINGTON TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO PERSON WITH HIV/AIDS
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Idaho Housing & Finance Association and Spokane County Community Services among 18 Organizations Nationwide to Win HUD Funding Renewals

SEATTLE - They are extremely low-income, living with HIV/AIDS and at high risk of homelessness. Today, more
than 1,100 persons and their families will find a stable home, and receive the services they need to manage their illnesses, because of $19.3 million in grants awarded by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Steve Preston.

The competitive renewal grants are part of HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program.
The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation won $915,440, the Idaho Housing and Finance Association won $1,349,068 and the Spokane County Community Services Divsion won $1,295,489 in HOPWA funds as a result of today's announcement.

"These grants are quite literally a lifeline for those struggling to find a decent home while trying to manage complex drug therapies," said Preston. "Working closely with our local partners, we can offer these families the support they need to concentrate on staying healthy instead of worrying how they'll pay next month's rent."

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 121 local and
state jurisdictions. This year, HUD is allocating a record $300 million in HOPWA funds that are expected to assist
an estimated 67,000 households annually. The cities of Portland and Seattle and states of Oregon and Washington have received a total of more than $3.6 million in HOPWA funds allocated by formula this year.

The following local projects won the HOPWA renewal grants announced today:

For information on Federal AIDS programs, go to AIDS.GOV which includes links to HOPWA and other HUD programs. HUD's website for HOPWA is at www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/aidshousing/index.cfm or email HOPWA@hud.gov

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) will receive a HOPWA renewal grant of $915,440 to continue
providing permanent housing, comprehensive case management, and short-term housing assistance to persons
living with HIV/AIDS in the northern interior and in southeast Alaska. The AHFC serves individuals and families in
rural, hard-to-reach locations. The program will utilize its renewal funding to assist current program participants
who are in need of additional support in order to maintain stable housing, as well to provide housing assistance
to households who are not currently helped by AHFC. Over the next three years, the program will provide tenant-based rental assistance to 10 households annually; short-term rent, mortgage and utility assistance to 25
households annually; and supportive services to 40 households annually. AHFC will continue to partner in this
project with Interior AIDS Assistance and the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association. For more information contact: Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, P.O. Box 101020, Anchorage, AK 99510. Mr. Dan Fauske, Executive
Director/CEO, phone: (907) 330-6100, email: dfauske@ahfc.state.ak.us; or Ms. Kris Duncan, Planner, phone:
(907) 330-8276, email: kduncan@ahfc.state.ak.us.

Idaho Housing and Finance Association will receive a HOPWA renewal grant of $1,349,068 to continue a
statewide permanent supportive housing program for persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. Working through a network of regional consortiums of project sponsors, the program annually will provide tenant-based rental
assistance to 45 households, and short-term, mortgage, rental and utility assistance to 36 households. In addition
to direct housing assistance, the Idaho Housing and Finance Association will also provide an array of supportive services to 84 households a year, including case management, health and mental health referrals. To assist clients across the state of Idaho with meeting their housing and related health care needs, the organization will continue working with the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority; Family Practice Residency; South Central District Health Department; Southeastern District Health Department; and District Seven Health Department. For more information contact: Idaho Housing and Finance Association, Community Development Services, 565 West Myrtle Street, Boise,
ID 83702. Mr. Gerald Hunter, Executive Director, phone: (208) 331-4730, email: geraldh@ihfa.org; or Sheri Cook, Special Needs Grant Administrator, phone: (208) 331-4754, email: sheric@ihfa.org.

Spokane County Community Services Division (SCCS) of Spokane will receive a HOPWA renewal grant for $1,295,489 to continue the REACH Project (Regionally Assisted Collaborative Housing Project) which serves 20 counties in eastern and central Washington, is designed to meet the unmet long and short-term housing and supportive service needs of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. SCCS' REACH program works with six partners
-- Care Bearers, Coalition of the Responsible Disabled; the Kennewick Housing Authority; Northeast Washington Housing Solutions, Okanogan County Community Action Council,; and Krimminger Consulting Services. REACH will provide tenant-based rental assistance to 69 households; short-term rent, mortgage and utility assistance to 28 households; and supportive services to 111 households. Supportive services include transportation, counseling,
and child care to people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. For more information contact: Spokane County Community Services Division, 312 West 8th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99210. Christine Barada, Director of Community Services, phone: (509) 477-5722, email: cbarada@spokanecounty.org.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities;
creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the
Internet and espanol.hud.gov.