AIDS & Special Needs Housing

If you are homeless and living with AIDS* in New York City, you have a right to emergency housing.  The City's HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA) must refer you, the same business day that you request it in person at one of their 10 offices, to a single room with a refrigerator.  The City will most likely refer you to a commercial single room occupancy hotel room.

In order to get a referral to permanent, medically appropriate, supportive housing, you should fill out a HASA Housing Application.  Make sure you get a receipt with the date the application was completed.  This application is only good for 6 months, so be sure to call your HASA case manager frequently to follow up.

If you do not want supportive housing, HASA will pay 30% of your income towards rent.  You must locate an apartment on your own (go to the NYC AIDS Housing Network any Tuesday between 12:30-5:30 p.m. for help, or call toll free, 877-615-2217), bring a copy of your lease, DHCR form, real estate broker's license.  Your case manager must provide you with a receipt, stating the date you submitted this paperwork and clearly outlining any information that the City is missing in order to process your paperwork.  You should follow up frequently with your case manager.  The City must process your paperwork and provider you with your rent checks within 30 days.

To get involved in advocating for housing and stronger rights, contact the NYC AIDS Housing Network.

*In order to qualify to be a client of the City's HIV/AIDS Services Administration, you must have a t-cell count of under 200 and/or 2 opportunistic infections (go to www.nyc.gov/html/hra/html/serv_aids.html).