St. Louis HUD Office Honors AIDS Residence Program for Commitment to Housing for HIV-Positive Individuals in Missouri
The St. Louis office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday honored Doorways, an interfaith AIDS residence program that considers housing to be "a part of health care," for "spreading light throughout the community," the Associated Press reports. Doorways, one of 11 programs recognized on Wednesday, provides a variety of different housing services for HIV-positive residents including permanent and temporary housing, short-term loans for housing and services to match prospective tenants with landlords. Doorways currently runs five residential facilities in the St. Louis area, and two more residences are "on the way," according to the Associated Press. Housing residents are required to pay 30% of their income, "even if their income is zero," Doorways President Lynne Cooper said. In addition, HUD recently awarded Doorways a $1.3 million grant to provide supportive housing for HIV-positive people in 70 of Missouri's 115 counties. Doorways organizers believe that HIV-positive individuals "need a roof over their heads" before they can focus on treatment options. The program currently serves approximately 450 people each month, and approximately 100 individuals and families are still on the waiting list for services (Taylor, Associated Press, 12/11).
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