www.HousingFightsAIDS.

org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | October 13, 2010

Contact: Sean Barry, (646) 373-3344, barry@nycahn.org

City Council Resolution Urges Albany To Override

Governorʼs Veto Of 30% Rent Cap Affordable Housing Bill
Speaker Quinn and Council Members Mendez and Palma Sponsor Resolution
For 10,000 New Yorkers Living With HIV/AIDS On Verge Of Homelessness
New York – A City Council resolution urging state lawmakers to override Governor
Patersonʼs veto of a bill (A.2565/S.2664) to prevent thousands of low-income New
Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS from becoming homeless was introduced today.

“This sends a powerful message that our allies arenʼt giving up the fight and will continue
standing by people living with HIV/AIDS as we struggle to keep our homes. Every day
that passes without an affordable housing protection means more people end up in
costly shelters that are a threat to our health,” said Jim Lister, a NYCAHN/VOCAL
member who pays over 70% of his Social Security Disability (SSDI) income towards rent.

The proposed law, sponsored by Senator Tom Duane and Assembly Member Deborah
Glick, would ensure clients receiving rental assistance through the HIV/AIDS Services
Administration (HASA) pay no more than 30% of their disability income towards rent, the
federal standard for affordable housing. It would not create a new program or
entitlement, but rather fix an existing rental assistance program that is failing to keep
people stably housed. At least one-quarter of clients in the program fall into arrears
every year and are placed into expensive emergency shelters if they become homeless.

“When people have stable housing, theyʼre less likely to go to the emergency room or
end up in a hospital bed, and they can focus on their health instead of worrying about
whether theyʼll have a place to live,” said Wanda Hernandez, a NYCAHN/VOCAL Board
member who also pays over 70% of her SSDI towards her rent. “The bills and expenses
I have to skip in order to pay my rent arenʼt luxuries, theyʼre necessary for daily survival
and Iʼm not sure how long I can continue doing that before I end up in a shelter.”

Governor Paterson and Mayor Bloomberg released exaggerated cost estimates for the
bill that failed to take into account savings that would result from reduced shelter
placements and rental arrears, not to mention indirect savings from fewer
hospitalizations and new HIV infections.

The resolution was referred to the General Welfare Committee and is expected to be
voted on by the full City Council later this month or in November. The City Council first
adopted a resolution backing the 30% rent cap bill on September 30th, 2009 (Res. 2145).

The NYC AIDS Housing Network (NYCAHN) and Voices Of Community Activists &
Leaders (VOCAL) is a grassroots membership organization led by people who are living
with and affected by HIV/AIDS, drug use and mass incarceration.

###