Hattiesburg, Miss., officials to determine fate of AIDS group home

The Hattiesburg, Miss., city council will decide this month whether to allow a group home for HIV/AIDS patients to be established in the city. The proposed 14-bed home would be the first in Hattiesburg, located in south-central Mississippi, and the third in the state, officials said. The nonprofit Hattiesburg AIDS Services Coalition would operate the home as a temporary residence for adults with HIV, said HASC president Bruce Van Nostrand. Residents would learn job skills and receive counseling while paying minimal rent for up to one year. The city planning commission approved the proposed home last week, but final approval is required by the city council. Van Nostrand is currently seeking about $112,000 in grants for the group home.