Westside : AIDS Facility for the Homeless Opens

A community-based, nonprofit housing corporation in Hollywood opened the doors of a bungalow complex Tuesday that will house homeless people with HIV and AIDS.

Called Itis, the home will allow such people to live with dignity, said Jack Gardner, executive director of the Hollywood Community Housing Corp.

Residents will receive job training and placement through community service agencies. And they will receive medical care through the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Gay and Lesbian Services Center.

The corporation renovated the 16 bungalows with $1.2 million in grants and loans from several funding sources, including the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.

Built in the 1920s, the bungalows were renovated to accommodate the special needs of people who are infected with HIV. For example, the corporation equipped each unit with medical waste bins that residents can use to dispose of needles and other items.