San Francisco HIVer Brian Basinger, 38, knew his Sustiva combo could
induce some odd dreams, but nothing prepared him for a late-night house
call from God. “You must organize housing for people with HIV,” the
Almighty boomed in 2004. And so it came to pass that less than six
weeks later, Basinger, a former marketing manager, and his positive
partner, James Nykolay, 39, had put their disability checks toward
starting AIDS Housing Alliance/San Francisco (AHA/SF). People
lined up—and today he has helped hundreds find homes.
“Housing
is the number one unmet need of San Francisco HIVers,” Basinger says.
Stable housing promotes treatment adherence and good health and also
reduces risky behavior, but medical bills, disability and job loss
spark evictions and homelessness. San Francisco’s skyrocketing housing
prices coupled with cuts in federal AIDS housing, have fomented a
crisis. “Why would a landlord rent to us when they can rent to someone
with a full-time job and good credit?” Basinger says. A condo
conversion ousted him from his home of 14 years, forcing him to spend
five months searching for someone who would accept a Section 8 housing
voucher.
Basinger insists that for a little over $4 million
San Francisco could demolish its affordable-housing shortage. “The
issue isn’t resources. We need a paradigm shift,” says Basinger. He
believes traditional AIDS-housing providers should promote clients’
self-sufficiency rather than simply carve up the scant federal dollars
from Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA). AHA/SF does it
all, from helping with applications to teaching tenants’ rights and
financial wellness. Patricia, 54, lived with her husband in a
single-room-occupancy hotel without a kitchen or bathroom for years
before discovering AHA/SF and her eligibility for a new studio
apartment. “It’s paradise,” she says.
The housing squeeze has
gone national. In New York City, 3,600 people with AIDS land in
emergency housing every night—often filthy, run-down hotels unsuitable
for people with chronic illness. Due to lack of housing, many remain in
the emergency spaces for years, says Jennifer Flynn, directorof the New
York City AIDS Housing Network (NYCAHN). The crisis also extends beyond
high-rent capitals. Nancy Bernstine, executive director of the National
AIDS Housing Coalition, says many cities have just run out of
affordable rooms, canceling their HOPWA waiting lists entirely. In
2003, 80% of the people requesting HOPWA assistance in Connecticut were
denied, and Colorado has closed HOPWA waiting lists statewide.
Advocates
are making progress. Thanks to a law that NYCAHN helped pass, since
August, every positive homeless person in New York City must be
referred to permanent housing within 90 days of entering the housing
system. In 2004, AHA/SF and Basinger created and helped pass
legislation prohibiting San Francisco landlords who evict HIVers from
quickly converting properties into condos. And he plans to keep
renovating the affordable-housing system, one brick at a time. “I hope
people will implement our model in their hometown,” he says.
Housing Resources
For help finding a home, check out:
AIDS Housing Alliance 415.552.3242 www.ahasf.org
National AIDS Housing Coalition 202.347.0333 www.nationalaidshousing.org
New York City AIDS Housing Network 877.615.2217 www.nycahn.org
U.S. Office of HIV/AIDS Housing 202.708.1112 www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/aids housing/local/ index.cfm
