February 9, 2007
LET LEAVITT HAVE IT
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Stop the evictions: call Leavitt at 202-690-7000 |
Staff from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) informed AIDS housing advocates today that tenants living with HIV/AIDS who depend on Ryan White funds for housing assistance could be at risk of eviction as soon as next month if new regulations are implemented.
HRSA staff say the proposed 24-month lifetime cap on Ryan White housing services will be retroactive. That means PLWHAs who have received 24 months of Ryan White housing help since 1990 can't get any more if the rule moves forward.
And they say the implementation date is still March 1 – just eighteen days away.
Take action now – make a call to stop the regs
Call HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt at 202-690-7000 and say:
"Don't evict people living with HIV/AIDS from their homes on March 1. HHS should hold off implementation of any new rules on Ryan White and housing assistance for at least six months – and should block any lifetime cap on help for tenants who need it the most."
HRSA is still reviewing dozens of comments on the proposed regulations that poured in from advocates, housing providers and elected officials all over the country.
And there's still a chance they might revise the proposed rule or get rid of it altogether.
HRSA staff told advocates from the National AIDS Housing Coalition that HHS higher-ups control the implementation date – it's out of their hands. So it's crucially important to weigh in with HHS Secretary Leavitt to win breathing room for PLWHAs and stop unnecessary evictions.
We'll have more on this issue in next week's Update – email Christine Campbell in our DC office (campbell@housingworks.org) for more information.