The Samaritan House, a nonprofit that provides housing and rent assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS, will break ground next month on three apartment buildings for homeless families coping with the disease. "This is housing for families," said Executive Director Steve Dutton. Currently, "many of our residents have to leave their children with someone else."

The 66 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units will add to Samaritan's existing 52 single-room units in the Medical District. More than $8 million in tax credits from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and a $4 million fundraising campaign will help pay for the new apartments.

Once the apartments are finished, people with AIDS and their families will be able to live together. Families will also find it more convenient to use other services provided by Samaritan, including meals, drug and alcohol counseling, transportation, and job training, say officials. Samaritan provides rent assistance through its Genesis Project and it offers limited social and medical services.

Founded in 1991, Samaritan House is the only residential facility for people with AIDS in Tarrant County and 36 counties to the north and west, said Dutton. Dallas County has a similar program, he added. On Friday, Samaritan received more than $916,000 from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for its existing programs.

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