AIDS Project Los Angeles Applauds Mayor Hahn and the Los Angeles City Council for Action on Housing Issues for People Living With AIDS.

News Editors & Health/Medical Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 26, 2002

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a motion offered by council members Eric Garcetti, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Jan Perry to provide additional funds to the Housing Opportunities for People Living with HIV/AIDS Program (HOPWA) by amending the City's consolidated plan. These funds, exceeding $3 million, will prevent a 1/3 cut in monthly payments to service organizations that provide housing assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS. The cut was scheduled to take place on April 1, 2002.

This funding will maintain current service levels over the next twelve months. Additional funds will eventually need to be identified to maintain these critical services through the end of the current three-year contracts (April 1, 2001-March 31, 2004) and beyond. The need for HOPWA-funded programs continues to exceed available resources.

APLA staff has been working closely with the Mayor's office and the Housing Department since late last year to craft a suitable solution to the shortfall. "We look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor's office and with council members to advocate for additional federal HOPWA funds and other housing resources," stated Craig E.Thompson, Executive Director, AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA).

Several community surveys, including an APLA client survey and community forums held by the Southern California HIV Advocacy Coalition, identify housing as one of the most critical needs of people living with HIV and AIDS. Public concern for addressing the affordable housing shortage throughout Los Angeles was raised last week at a hearing before the Los Angeles Commission on Disabilities.

"The Mayor's work on HOPWA and the recent formation of the Mayor's Leadership Council on HIV and AIDS illustrates his continued commitment to this issue," stated Daniel Montoya, APLA's Director of Government Affairs.

AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the nation's largest AIDS service organizations, provides direct services to more than 10,000 men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County. Services include prevention education, a food bank, professional dental care, housing assistance, mental health counseling, women's services and case management. APLA is a leader in the provision of bilingual HIV treatment information, in print and on the Internet, and advocates for effective AIDS-related policies and legislation on the local, state and federal level. For more information, please visit www.apla.org