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Dear Subscriber,
AHC continues to be very busy as we make our way through the fall and head toward winter. The “Reaching Home Massachusetts” campaign is being launched by the staff and members of the United Disability Housing Partnership, beginning with an organizing training in early December. This campaign aims to significantly reduce homelessness for people with disabilities through increased access to housing and awareness of disability housing issues. United Housing also has a dedicated website which has been created by AHC staff with great attention to website accessibility issues and has more information about the campaign.
AHC’s 5th annual holiday party and fundraiser will be on Thursday, December 8th at Dedo in Bay Village. We hope you will join us for this fun AHC tradition. As always, we welcome your feedback about this newsletter and please contact us with any comments or questions.
| FY 2007 Massachusetts state budget process begins |
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Although there are still two months left in 2005 and it seems that the Legislature just finished work on the FY 2006 budget, the FY 2007 process has begun. On Thursday, October 20, HIV/AIDS advocates from across Massachusetts met in Sturbridge to discuss funding priorities.
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| First consumer organizing training slated for December |
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The United Disability Housing Partnership is kicking off its community organizing efforts with a series of trainings for consumers. Individuals living with disabilities are invited to participate in trainings focused on developing a direct action campaign, organizing tactics, legislative advocacy, and leadership skills. The first training will be on December 1st from 1:30-3:30pm at 95 Berkeley Street, Boston.
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| Two trainings for AIDS housing providers scheduled for early 2006 |
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There will be two legal issues trainings held at the beginning of the upcoming year. The first one, "Legal Issues in Supportive Housing: CORI’s and Working with Undocumented Clients" is scheduled for January 19th, 2006. It will take place at 25 West Street in Boston. The second training titled, "Tenant Selection and Reasonable Accommodations" will be held on the 2nd of February at New Beginnings in Framingham.
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| Report on HIV/AIDS housing in Bristol County released |
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AHC recently released a needs assessment of HIV/AIDS housing in Bristol County, which includes New Bedford and Fall River, two cities with some of Massachusetts' highest incidence rates of HIV. The report synthesizes epidemiological data, rental market data, and participant focus groups and concludes with recommendations for the county.
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| SAVE the DATE: AHC annual holiday event |
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| AHC welcomes birth of Adina Habib |
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Adina Bess Kogan Habib was born to AHC Evaluation Specialist, Rachel Kogan, on August 15. Output measure: 7 pounds 10 ounces. Congratulations to Rachel, Josh and Natalie on their healthy new arrival.
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Program Highlight: AIDS Care Ocean State |
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Paul Fitzgerald, Executive Director of AIDS Care Ocean State (ACOS), highlights his agency’s ‘integrated continuum of housing services’ as a key part of their success in housing people with HIV and AIDS in Rhode Island. “We’re almost like a community health center,” he notes, “with clinical mental health and substance abuse services in- house, as well as HIV case management and care.”
ACOS offers housing in a variety of settings for persons living with HIV and AIDS: two single-room occupancy buildings, a program for ex-offenders and others called “New Transitions” and scattered-site long-term rentals. Over three-quarters of the housing units for persons with HIV and AIDS in Rhode Island are provided through ACOS.
The planned and integrated use of a variety of resources is the key to ACOS’ housing success.
ACOS makes use of a variety of funding sources to create this housing and the services that support it, including HOPWA formula and competitive funds, Ryan White CARE Act Title I, Section 811 and Medicaid. ACOS is an official Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), allowing it increased access to affordable housing development resources.
ACOS operates what it calls its Consolidated Housing Services (CHS) unit, which provides comprehensive homelessness prevention and housing information and placement services across the State. CHS complements the HIV case management services also offered through ACOS by providing clients with access to landlord-tenant mediation, advocacy regarding technical housing issues and a knowledge of affordable housing resources available in the area.
Paul attributes part of ACOS’ housing success to involvement in key planning processes in Rhode Island. As an organization, ACOS is involved in strategic planning for AIDS housing in Rhode Island and participates in both the HUD Continuum of Care and the Ryan White CARE Planning Group for Rhode Island. Through these efforts, ACOS “brings the housing needs of people living with HIV and AIDS to the table.”
Click here to visit ACOS' website |
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