Adriel Hampton and Brian Basinger

AIDS Housing Alliance/SF recently held its 5th Anniversary Extravaganza on Jan. 31, but months later has had to move its headquarters to a much larger space because of the increased demand for housing. The nonprofit’s programs include housing referrals, emergency financial assistance, shelter for homeless people with HIV/AIDS, job training programs linked to transitional housing, and a public policy advocacy program. The Alliance is now sharing office space with the Madonna Residence at St. Anthony’s Foundation at 350 Golden Gate Ave. Upstairs is an all-women’s residence run by nuns, but half of downstairs is now AHA/SF. 

Basinger told Bay Times he and the Alliance believe in a world where all people have a safe, decent, and affordable home. “Toward that vision, we prevent homelessness for people with HIV/AIDS and their families by protecting the housing we already have; providing resources to secure new housing; and promoting public policy to expand opportunity for all.” He said their goal is to become the largest provider of housing and largest employer of disabled people with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco. 

“We’re really excited after five years to have our own space for the first time, and to be able to ‘gay it up’ right, as you can tell by the bright apple green walls,” he said. Giving me a tour, he pointed out “a fantastic waiting room, which makes it so much better when 40 to 50 people were in crisis, hovering over our desks.” So now there is a relaxed area for clients to wait to be served. There are now two ADA-compliant bathrooms; whereas in the old place, the desk was just four feet away from the bathroom. He showed me to a room he has lovingly named the “Sister Dana Van Iquity Special,” whoever that is, which is where they store the wine for their many fundraising events, and includes a couch “for when someone passes out,” he joked.
Basinger showed me one of the many impressive intake rooms, one of which was occupied by Rodrigo Ibanez, the financial services coordinator, who used to be a comptroller in a bank in Mexico City. Another room was for Joe Browning, intake coordinator with an MBA. Another was for Steven Matules, an attorney from Hastings who serves as contracts compliance officer. Thomas Cummings’ office is for bookkeeping. James Nykolay has a room as office manager and co-founder of AHA/SF. There is one office space they want to rent out, listing it on craigslist; but if the right sub-let person applies (“an organization or individual that has synergy”) at brian.basinger@ahasf.org, that would be preferable. 

There is an office for the AHA Café, which Basinger explained as a restaurant that started on campus at UC Hastings College of Law, just a block from the current office space. “It’s the first job training and supportive employment program for people with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco and helps raise money for the Alliance,” he said. “We also have wraparound services providing for job training there.” He said the majority are homeless, so they are put up in the AHA hotel space – thus giving them supportive housing and job training. “They can then go on to bigger and better things,” he said. “We have had an excellent track record so far.” He cited one former homeless youth who finished the training at the café, graduated from there to get a job in a Castro store, and got referred to LYRIC, which will get him subsidized housing with LYRIC for a year. “It’s a real fairytale story,” Basinger beamed.
“I’ve been a fan of the AIDS Housing Alliance/SF’s work for a long time,” California 10th Congressional District candidate Adriel Hampton (D-Dublin) told Bay Times. “I’m very excited to see this great new location. I really support their job training program that puts HIV+ people to work in their community while providing a sense of camaraderie and self-determination for their members.”

Christopher “Lucky” Abraham, a former client who has been with AHA for two years, is now a volunteer for AHA’s many fundraising events and office chores. “I have a need to give back to the community that helped me when I needed it, so I try to be readily available for Brian and his staff,” he said.
“I’m so happy to be here and excited about having our first real office space,” said Nykolay. “It’s working out really beautifully.” He said, “I’m just kind of high on how well things are going. We haven’t had a hiccup so far.” 

This is also the home of the annual Desperate Divas Calendar Girls contest. Every third Saturday of each month, AHA will hold another contest for the Desperate Diva of the month at various different sponsoring bars. On this fourth year, drag queens will compete for their own month and the coveted calendar cover. Anyone interested in entering should email BeBeSweetbriar@yahoo.com.