Houston city council renews AIDS housing program

The Houston city council has unanimously approved a contract between the city and the River Oaks Health Association that will support a residence and support center for HIV-positive people living in the city's Montrose area, the Houston Chronicle reports. The contract provided $376,910 in city funds for the nonprofit group's Help House, a facility that includes 24 units used as transitional housing for people with HIV/AIDS. The new contract will provide funding for the next two years. During the past two-year contract period, the facility housed 47 people and their families. Other services provided by Help House include case management, housing information, transportation, nutrition counseling, food assistance, and mental health counseling.