HIV-Infected Can Get Post-Quake Referrals

In an effort to aid HIV-infected individuals whose housing was disrupted by the Northridge earthquake, an emergency mobility team has been established to provide them with housing referrals.

A project of the Los Angeles Housing Exchange, the mobility team will be set up at the three disaster assistance centers in Chatsworth, Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys.

Most disaster assistance programs are geared toward helping the general population. But the Los Angeles Housing Exchange, which coordinates safe housing for HIV-infected people in collaboration with AIDS Project Los Angeles, has developed the referral project to better address specific needs of people with HIV/AIDS in disaster situations.

Using its database of more than 30,000 housing units (from independent living situations to group homes and shelters), the housing exchange can refer clients to a variety of temporary and permanent homes.

The emergency mobility team also will make its resources available to other disaster assistance programs that target those who are hard to place.

“We can help anyone with HIV who was affected, even if it’s dealing with anxiety levels,” said Joyce Canham, FEMA consultant to the housing exchange.

Canham gave the example of an HIV-positive man whose damaged apartment was green-tagged, but because of his severe allergies to dust from the construction, he was moved to another apartment. “It was a dangerous place for him to be,” said Canham.

One of the goals of the program is to serve as a prototype for all types of disaster assistance to people infected with HIV.

For more information, call (800) 560-1338.