30 Percent Rent Cap Bill To Prevent Homelessness for HIV-Positive New Yorkers Reintroduced in the Assembly

BROOKLYN, NY (03/11/2011)(readMedia)-- Brooklyn, NY – Legislation that would prevent homelessness for 10,000 low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and their families is being reintroduced in the Assembly today by Assembly Member Deborah Glick and dozens of her colleagues. The bill would ensure that low-income people who are permanently disabled by HIV/AIDS and already receive rental assistance pay no more than 30 percent of their disability income towards rent. It would not create a new entitlement program or expand eligibility for existing rental assistance programs.

"While I was desperately disappointed in our inability to eliminate this injustice last year, I remain hopeful that it can be addressed as we move forward," said Assembly Member Deborah J. Glick. Assembly Member Glick also recently sent a letter with Assembly Members Keith Wright and Hakeem Jeffries signed by 21 of their colleagues urging Governor Cuomo to include the bill language in his amended budget proposal.

After becoming the first legislation to pass the Assembly in 2010, the bill was later approved by the Senate with bipartisan support for the second time before being vetoed by Governor David Paterson last September. Openly HIV-positive Senator Tom Duane has sponsored the Senate bill.

In an Albany Times Union op-ed last year, Assembly Member Glick and Ginny Shubert, the author of several cost studies on the bill, wrote, "Simply by keeping [low-income people with HIV/AIDS] in their own affordable housing, instead of in expensive government-funded emergency hotels, the bill will pay for itself. And savings will multiply as additional HIV-related health costs are prevented. The only ones who stand to lose are the commercial single-room-occupancy hotel owners who profit from the status quo."

The primary housing program for low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS is tenant-based rental assistance, although it is the only housing program of its kind in the state that does not cap the tenant's rental contribution at 30 percent of income. Clients of the HIV/AIDS Services Administration's (HASA) rental assistance program pay upwards of 70 percent or more of their federal disability or Veteran's benefits towards rent, with Veteran's paying the highest amount on average.

"Assembly Member Glick has shown steadfast leadership in working to address the affordable housing crisis facing low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS," said Jim Lister, a VOCAL-NY leader. "I feel like I'm falling further and further behind. My first priority is always paying my rent, but that takes over 74% of my Social Security Disability check and leaves little money left over to buy things like bath soap or wash my clothes."

Advocates are hopeful that Governor Cuomo's record defending the 30 percent rent cap policy at HUD and his interest in making government programs more efficient are strong indications he will support the bill. Last year, the Obama Administration released Opening Doors: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which specifically calls for a 30% rent cap for all federal, state and local rental assistance programs for homeless persons or those at risk of homelessness. The Obama administration National AIDS Strategy also reecognizes stable and affordable housing as essential for effective healthcare and prevention for people living with HIV/AIDS.

"We expect Governor Cuomo to work with us to save New York money and keep people out of the shelter system," said Wanda Hernandez, a VOCAL-NY leader and Board member. "I worked for many years investing into a safety net that was supposed to protect me if I became disabled, so it doesn't make sense that I'm now on the verge of homelessness because people living with HIV/AIDS are singled out and not given the same affordable housing protection that exists in other programs."

VOCAL-NY is a member of the New Deal for New York coalition and has been working to extend the millionaire's tax in order to generate revenue for good jobs, quality healthcare, and safety net programs for New Yorkers affected by the recession.

VOCAL-NY is a statewide grassroots organization building power among low-income people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, drug use and mass incarceration in order to create healthy and just communities. More information about VOCAL-NY available at www.VOCAL-NY.org and the campaign at www.HousingFightsAIDS.org.