California: Officials Commit to Backfill AIDS Cuts

San Francisco officials promised last week that no HIV/AIDS patients would lose subsidized housing due to cuts in federal HIV funds to the city. Municipalities are now required to allocate 75 percent of Ryan White CARE Act funds to medical services; housing falls outside this category.

Mayor Gavin Newsom and Health Director Dr. Mitch Katz announced that the city would cover shortfalls in housing support for people with HIV/AIDS. The city spends nearly $4 million in Ryan White funds for housing.

"We are committed to that, that is an absolute," Katz said at a City Hall press briefing on April 20. This year, the city's budget proposal for AIDS housing is $3.8 million, and an additional $2 million is being proposed to make up for CARE cuts. Community agencies are asking for about $6 million this year to maintain AIDS services.

"We are going to make our best effort to make sure there are not these catastrophic cuts to these programs," said Newsom.

A Board of Supervisors meeting on May 2 will review a larger $9 million proposal, including the housing figure, by the health department's Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Housing Work Group. The group has not issued any final recommendations, said Katz, who is optimistic its suggestions will be implemented.

Back to other news for April 2007

Search the Newsroom archive