More gibs me dats

Not only is ending the AIDS housing waiting list the right thing to do, it is also the most cost effective approach to this crisis. I agree that the cost of stays in hospitals and shelters FAR outweighs the cost of ending this wait list. Other cities augment the federal funds they receive toward housing for people with AIDS. Philadelphia is a glaring exception! Time for Philly to catch up with other American cities that support housing for people with AIDS!

well let me play the devil and respone to linda no one said they want free housing as long as the city does not put money out for housing for people with the virus. ignoring the people who are on the streets, they die, get infections on the streets and shealters.these same people are not gonna get the treatment,medications,or the care that they need to stay alive.

I believe the key point that the demonstrators were making is that prioritizing housing for people living with HIV/AIDS is not just a good moral thing to do, but moreover that it makes economic sense and is good public health policy. In these tight budget times, rather than gutting budgets and sacrificing those who are most vulnerable, spending needs to be focused on prioritizing policies that are, as many like to say, truly cost-effective and evidence-based. There is an abundance of research that indicates that supporting permanent, stable housing is very strongly connected with better health outcomes, which also translates to lower expenses incurred from stays in hospitals and shelters. It is my understanding that most of the housing assistance that people living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia receive is through rental subsidies supported through funding from the federal government, yet the city itself contributes no city dollars toward this cause. With a tax payer cost of approximately just $2 per year, by my estimate, it seems like a small price to pay to get people with HIV/AIDS from a waiting list into real housing, and it will very well pay for itself.

In terms of medical outcomes, people who are HIV+ and homeless die nearly as frequently as people who are HIV+ and don’t have medicine. It’s insane to force people with weak immune systems to stay in shelters or on the street, when housing is cheaper and saves lives. On top of it, if someone has housing, they will be much more likely to take medication, which lowers the amount of virus in the blood and makes it much less likely that the person will unwillingly pass HIV on to someone else. Housing is HIV prevention. And Housing is HIV treatment. The city must support housing for people with HIV. It’s common sense!

Article is a little garbled. Homeless people who suffer from HIV/AIDS die much sooner than people with HIV with stable housing. There are hundreds of people with AIDS in Philadelphia who are living in shelters and on grates. They need our support.

Just picture having cancer and having to sleep outside. Now imagine having HIV/AIDS instead.

Give me a break. They want free housing too? Unbelievable! I’ve heard everything.