Housing
HASA
Rent Increase Issue
PATAKI
RAISES THE RENTS IN AIDS HOUSING!!!!
>>FEDERAL
JUDGE GRANTS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST CITY AND STATE AND DECLARES
THAT THEY CAN NOT INCREASE THE RENT FOR 2,200
FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS UNTIL
THE FULL CASE IS
DECIDED
ON ITS MERITS! This means that there will
be no rent increases for months (and perhaps ever-if
we win!). Thanks to Housing Works Legal Department!
>>Click
here to download the press release!
>>Click
here to download the flyer for the next community organizing meeting,
Friday, Nov. 10th, 3pm, GMHC, 119 West 24th Street, Room 405 Take
the 1 or F train to 23rd St.
>>Click
here to download a petition to fight the rent increases!
>>or
sign the petition on-line, by clicking here
>>Click
here for the latest media on this issue!
PRESS
RELEASE
STATE
REQUIRES WELFARE RECIPIENTS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS TO PAY OVER
50%
OF THEIR INCOME TOWARDS RENT
Contact:
Jennifer
Flynn, cell (917) 517-5202
For
Immediate Release October
4, 2006
New
York, NY: Yesterday, the NYC HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA)
held a meeting this morning with advocates and members of the HASA
Advisory Committee to make an announcement.
The
announcement was to inform the community that the State Office of
Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTADA) had conducted the first
audit in 12 years in 2004 of HASA and found two areas that required
corrective action:
•
HASA was providing rental assistance to clients who did not
have an open public
assistance
case (HASA was able to open cases for most of these clients in the
past
2
years)
•
HASA was paying too much in rent for clients residing in contracted
supportive
housing
(THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY (SRO)
HOTELS)
who received SSI or SSD. This is about 2,200 people and between 200-300
families.
It should be noted that HASA was using the HUD guidelines
in their current calculation
HASA
had been using the suggested formula for budgeting client rental payments
from the federal Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Since
the audit, HASA has been negotiating with the State to attempt to
convince them to accept this form of budgeting vs. the State formula
as outlined in State regulation (NYS Code: Chapter 18, Reg. 352.1-352.3).
The
negotiations have come to an end and the State is requiring HASA to
implement this corrective action beginning November 1 st .
What
this means:
•
Clients who are on SSI or SSD will now have to pay all of their income
except for $330.00 towards their rent. Therefore, clients will end
up with less cash in hand. Over 50% of their income will now be spent
on rent.
•
There will no longer be a financial incentive to live in supportive
housing vs. a private market, independent apartment.
•
Clients will have a financial incentive to remain in the SRO
hotels.
•
The biggest losers here are the clients, particularly FAMILIES where
there are 2 or more people receiving SSI or SSD.
State
Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Richard Gottfried are introducing
legislation to make this move illegal and will call for an emergency
session of the NYS Legislature.
Interviews
can be scheduled with clients living in supportive housing who will
be
affected
by this issue by calling Jennifer Flynn, 917-517-5202.
>>For
a list of upcoming meetings on this issue, click here
>>To
read the recent media articles on this issue, click here
--End--
HOPWA
VICTORY!
>>After
much advocacy, the NYC HOPWA Advisory Committee has been recreated
by the Commissioner of Health.
>Click
here for the HOPWA Advisory Committee Principles
VICTORY!
>>After
much advocacy, the NYC HOPWA Advisory Committee is now actively recruiting
formerly homeless peopel living with HIV/AIDS to become members!
>>NYC
HIV/AIDS Housing Advocacy Group
NYCAHN sponsors
this monthly meeting of AIDS housing providers, service organizations
and tenants to create coordinated advocacy strategies that ensure
that we are maximizes our opportunities to increase funding and resources
to build more housing!
--Minutes
of February, 2005 meeting
--Minutes
of March, 2005 meeting
--Minutes
of June, 2005 meeting
--Minutes
of July, 2005 meeting
--Minutes
of December 14, 2005 meeting
--Flyer
for Next Meeting!
>>HOUSING
IS A FORM OF HIV PREVENTION!
--Click
here for a annodated power point presented to the NYS Prevention Planning
Group by Gina Quattrochi, CEO of Bailey House and Angela Aidala from
Columbia University.
--Contact Jennifer
Flynn, NYCAHN for more information about the campaign for HIV
prevention in NYC Homeless Shelters, Clean Syringe Access in AIDS
Housing programs and Efforts to increase funding for housing construction
and operation as a form of HIV prevention. Call 718-802-9540
x 16.
>>Housing
Here and Now!
--NYCAHN is
a proud member of the Housing Here and Now! Coalition steering committee
and a leader in the Fix
It Now Campaign!
--Several
of the City's 10 Worst Landlords are providers of emergency housing
for homeless people living with HIV/AIDS.
--Report
YOUR landlord as a Bad Landlord by clicking here!
>> FEDERAL AIDS HOUSING ISSUES!
Click
here for a powerpoint outlining how federal programs like
HOPWA, HUD Continuum of Care and Section 8 affect us!
--National
AIDS HOusing Coalition has released its 2006 HOPWA Needs Paper!
