New affordable housing for people living with HIV/AIDS could be coming to Charleston
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CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – A new partnership between Roper Hospital, the City of Charleston and several other groups could bring new affordable housing to downtown Charleston, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS, s it is approved by the Charleston City Council on Tuesday.
City Council documents from the show will vote on the use of more than $126,000 in grants for the rehabilitation of two downtown rental apartments. Having this affordable housing for people living with HIV/AIDS will make a big difference in the community, said Dr. Michael Moxley, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity at Roper Hospital St.Francis.
The hospital’s Ryan White Wellness Center is one way to serve people living with HIV/AIDS by providing a one-stop-shop for all medical care, advice and support, but Moxley says the hospital wants go beyond medical needs alone. This partnership is one way to achieve this, because it will be their patients who will be living in this accommodation.
“It’s very important for people to have affordable housing, access to schools and jobs,” he says. “It’s not just about making sure they get their HIV meds and can afford them and get their care. Given this proportion of underserved and underrepresented patients, if we improve the health of this population, we will truly uplift the entire community.
Pastors, Inc., a nonprofit community housing development, is the project’s sponsor. The organization will match funds provided by the city for this project and will oversee construction and renovations, said Director of Development FA Johnson, II.
Pending council approval, the new homes will hopefully be ready for tenants before the end of the year, according to Johnson.
“Affordable housing is such an issue, and once you add in some of the medical stigma, there’s a population base that’s not necessarily being served or struggling to be served,” he says. “It really feels good to know that we are reaching out to all segments of the community. This is what people would say is a ready to go project. Once the city council has acted, we will be ready to go straight to construction. »
Funding approval will go first to the City of Charleston Ways and Means Committee and then to City Council on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
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