Housing is the best HIV prevention tool we have available, says Basinger.

There will be the first ever AIDS Housing Fair on Saturday, Aug. 25 from 11-3p.m. at the LGBT Center. There will be a short overview on the national, state, and local HIV/ AIDS housing landscape. Many local housing providers and HIV housing service organizations will have tables to provide information to people with HIV/AIDS.

AIDS Housing Alliance/SF (AHA/SF) is working with Assemblyman Mark Leno’s office and co-sponsored by State Senator Carole Migden, Supervisor Tom Ammiano, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, the LGBT Community Center, and many more in putting together this landmark HIV/AIDS Housing Fair. There will be an opportunity for the variety of housing providers to meet with members of the HIV/AIDS community.

“I encourage all of my HIV-positive brothers and sisters to join us at what I intend to be the first of many AIDS Housing Resource Fairs,” Brian Basinger, Director of AIDS Housing Alliance/SF tells Bay Times. The goal for this fair is to take the first step in fostering and facilitating appropriate outreach from all nonprofit housing and service providers to the HIV/AIDS community.

Housing is the best HIV prevention tool we have available, says Basinger. He emphasizes that ending homelessness among the 2,500 people with HIV/AIDS who do not have a roof over their head should be the City’s number one public health concern, especially since people with stable housing are half as likely to engage in behavior that risks viral transmission. Sixty percent of people with HIV/AIDS will experience at least one episode of housing instability in their lifetimes, Basinger says. Research with the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill shows that 50% of survey respondents with HIV/AIDS had their first episode of homelessness following an owner move-in or Ellis Act eviction. Half of them have not been able to secure stable housing post eviction.

Basinger reminds us that AIDS is still the number one cause of premature death of all men in San Francisco ages 15-54. It continues to disproportionately escalate in women and communities of color. “Our Public Health Department has declared HIV/AIDS ‘endemic’ in the gay male community,” he says. “To me that sounds a little too much like giving up and accepting the status quo of 700-1,000 new infections per year.”  

With a greater than six billion dollar budget, San Francisco has the resources to end AIDS homelessness today, according to Basinger. It is simply a matter of the political will to organize those resources in a way that prioritizes human life.

“I look forward to working with Assemblyman Mark Leno and Mayor Gavin Newsom and to serve them as their eternally vigilant watchdog to make sure that their administrations are on track, continually improve, and develop novel approaches to end homelessness for people with HIV/AIDS,” says Basinger. “To my fellow disabled folks experiencing the AIDS housing nightmare, I say, ‘Hold on. Things will get better.’” He elaborates, “My partner James and I were once in your shoes. Never underestimate the power of the small.” He says they founded the AIDS Housing Alliance/SF on their disability checks, and their first year budget was just $13,000. If each of the 18,000 people with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco gave just $1 per month, imagine what could be achieved.

Basinger notes that the first ever HIV Home Ownership Fair they held a few years ago was wildly successful with over 120 attendees. He originally thought only 20 people would show up.

AHA/SF will also be presenting findings from the Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Housing Plan.

“This is our opportunity to start pushing for real progress to address the AIDS housing crisis,” says Basinger. “I hope to see many of our HIV-positive brothers and sisters attending this important event. Please spread the news far and wide!”