A successful journey starts with good planning. You have to decide where you want to go and the best way to get there. It’s the same when you’re looking for housing. Before you look, you need to know what you want and what you need. Here’s some things to think about before you start:

• Can I afford an apartment on my income or do I need government money to help pay the rent every month?
• Will I need social services in my new home? Or can I pay rent, cook, clean, shop, and get around on my own?
• Will I need counseling where I live or close to where I live?
• Do I want to live in a residential community with other people dealing with the same issues as I am (like HIV or recovery)?
• How many people will be in my household? How big of a place do I need?
• Do I need to find transitional housing right away or can I wait for long term housing?

Some housing programs will accept you even if you have a criminal record. It is very important that before you apply to a program you check your criminal record to make sure that there are no open cases and the information is correct. The first step is to get a copy of your CORI, or criminal record report. Talk to your case manager or housing search advocate about how to get your CORI. Taking care of this now will make housing search easier down the road.

• All government housing programs provide some kind of help with rent. Generally you will pay about 1/3 of your household income towards rent and utilities and the program will pay the rest.
• Transitional programs and HIV residential programs offer more support and security than scattered-site programs, public housing, or an apartment in the private rental market.
• You will have more privacy if you live in a HIV scattered-site program, in public housing, or in the private rental market because you have your own apartment and do not have to share a bathroom or a dining room.
• Most HIV residential programs and transitional programs are for single men or women. A few can help families and couples.
• A scattered-site program will provide you with money to help pay the rent and social services.
• All HIV housing offers you social services. Public housing and private market housing does not.
• Choosing one housing program may close doors on other housing in your future. Know your options.